Worth the Wait
by LyricalKris
Summary: He was her best friend's brother. Kind, successful, funny, always there for both of them, and sixteen years their senior. It wasn't that Bella didn't notice that he was also sexy as sin. It was just that she didn't see him that way... Until she did.
1. Chapter 1

**A/N: So! This little ditty was originally written for part of the Carlisle, Uncovered Contest. I had to leave out a lot (I know. We're surprised my wordy ass couldn't be contained to twelve thousand words), so I'll be posting the original one-shot in chapter format and continuing the story a bit after that.**

 **Thank you to everyone who voted for me. I hope you enjoy.**

* * *

Normally, Bella liked that her father didn't hover. It was the kind of thing any teenager could appreciate. Moving in with him had been a relief after being with her mother. Renee was sweet, and she could be fun, but she was the kind of mother who wanted to be Bella's best friend. Of course, that meant her mother was also up in her business all the time. Not to nag her but to gossip with her and squeal about boys. Not that Bella squealed; just that Renee wanted her to.

Charlie was a whole different ball game. He wasn't in her business at all as long as she was doing well. It had almost been too easy to sneak a boy up to her room in high school.

But she was in college now. Truly away from either of her parents' influence, and maybe, kinda, sorta that had gone to her head a little bit.

She'd always been independent and responsible. Her parents had been barely more than babies themselves when she was born. She'd spent her early childhood with her mother and Gran Marie. Though Gran had done the heavy lifting, Renee was an adoring and attentive mother.

Still, when Gran got sick, it was Bella who started to fill in the gaps. She'd always paid attention when Gran cooked. She learned the days bills had to be paid and bugged her mother to pay them when they were due. She was the one who made lists of what they needed for the house and pantry. She even learned to scour the coupons every Monday to figure out what was on sale at which store.

As a teenager, after her mother had married a man with a firm grasp on adulting, Bella went to live with her father. He was a good man, a concerned father, and smart enough to recognize that Bella was pretty much done. She'd been raised. She had a good set of core values. He just needed to be there to pay the bills and offer advice the few times she needed it.

Given all that, living on her own should have been a cakewalk. Same old, same old, right? Except without a parental unit checking up on her at least once a day.

Yeah, wrong. There was just one or two wrenches in that line of logic.

Her parents had both put away a certain amount of money for her to go to college. Neither of them being in great financial shape, it wasn't enough to pay her tuition. She figured she'd just have to get loans—start off her adult life in an obscene amount of debt like so many others. It turned out that she was eligible for a certain amount of automatic financial aid, and she managed to secure a few small scholarships as well.

With a little effort and some fast talking, she'd been able to convince her parents that she should get a small apartment near campus rather than go to the dorms. They could use the money they'd saved to help her with a deposit and the rent, and their decent credit to secure the apartment. She had every intention of finding a job; she'd always known she'd work as soon as she could. Forks was the kind of town that didn't have enough work for the adults, so getting work while she was still a kid had been out of the question.

The point was, Bella saw college as the start of her independent life. She'd found the apartment. She'd found a roommate to supplement expenses, and she told her father no, of course she didn't need his help picking furniture. It wasn't as though he'd given her money for much, which was fine. She had some bohemian idea in her head that it would be like The Sims. She'd start off with the bare-bones, uncomfortable basics—basic bed, card table in the kitchen area, folding chair, maybe a cable spool for an end table—and upgrade as she went along.

The first day of her new life wasn't turning out like she expected. First, even though she'd been the one to insist repeatedly she could drive herself to college—it just hadn't made sense for her father to follow her across four states when she had to drive her dilapidated truck there anyway—when she finally arrived and saw all the students milling around the campus with their parents, she felt rather abandoned.

She spent the night alone in her new apartment—her roommate was supposed to arrive at the end of the week—curled up on the blow-up mattress she'd brought. In the morning, she set out, determined to be a strong, independent woman.

In the midst of her full day of furniture shopping, she texted her soon-to-be-roomie to find out if she'd be bringing any furniture. She received a text back, annoyingly, toward the end of the day.

 _ **I'm so sorry. I chickened out. I'm staying where I am. You can keep my half of the deposit and first month's rent. I'm so sorry. Good luck.**_

Well, fuck.

So, after the requisite amount of time pacing around the furniture store, scaring the other patrons as she muttered to herself and typed furiously on her phone, she headed back home. What she should have done was take the furniture she'd managed to obtain back. Who knew if she would be able to find a new roomie, in which case, she couldn't keep the apartment.

She was so screwed.

And, because she was having such a great day, she had just figured out there was no way she could get the things she had bought up to her second story apartment alone. Because she'd told her father she'd take care of everything. Because she was a strong, independent woman.

She could be as strong and independent as they came, but she couldn't lift furniture and mattresses by herself. She ran her hand through her hair, scratching her head.

"Does the truck do tricks or something?"

Bella spun around and found herself staring at a pair of gorgeous green eyes set in a pretty, pretty face. The boy tilted his head and raised an eyebrow.

"Maybe it's some kind of modern art."

Again, Bella's head snapped, this time an inch or two up from the pretty boy's face. She took a physical step backward. The man standing beside the pretty boy was, well, he was pretty too, but it was a more distinguished kind of pretty. Well, no, no, in his case, pretty wasn't the word. Handsome. The sharp lines of his face were cut just right. His smile was soft where the boy's was a smirk.

The boy snorted. "This truck is older than I am. There's nothing modern about it."

"Hey, lay off my truck." Indignance was enough to break Bella's slack-jawed silence.

"Phew." The man's smile broadened, and Bella's heart did a weird sort of pitter-patter in her chest. He just had a great smile, that was all. "At least we know you weren't trying to figure out how to steal it."

The boy snorted. "Who the heck would steal this monstrosity?"

Again, Bella's eyes snapped back to the boy and narrowed. "What's your malfunction, pal? I like my truck."

"Even monstrosities need love," the man said. "Be nice, Edward."

Hands on her hips, Bella turned to give the man a piece of her mind, but his smile, again, was disarming. "Sorry," he said. "We shouldn't tease. It's just, you look like you're about to attack the mon...er, the truck. Trust me, it's not good for your knuckles."

Bella's lip twitched, and whatever was left of her defensiveness drained away. "It's not the truck. It's the furniture. The bastards won't get up and move themselves up to my apartment."

"How dare they," the boy said in mock outrage.

"You can't call any friends?" the man asked.

Bella gave a small laugh, trying to ignore a wave of loneliness. "I'm starting at the university in a couple of days. I'm from out of state."

The man hummed, looking between Bella and her furniture-laden truck. He gave the boy a tap to the back. "We can help," he said. It was an order.

"Oh." Bella was startled. "I couldn't… That's not…"

"We were just headed to the gym anyway. It's the real world equivalent of weight lifting." There was that smile again. Damn, it was such a pretty smile.

"Just without the eye candy," the boy said ruefully. "Gym bunnies are obnoxious, but they're nice to look at."

Looking at the two of them, Bella couldn't argue with that last part. "That's really nice, but I don't even know you."

The man offered a hand. "My name's Carlisle. This is my brother, Edward."

Bella took his hand and shook, ignoring the weird tingle that went through her as she smiled at him and Edward. "I'm Bella."

 _ **~0~**_

Some hours later, there were two extraordinarily attractive men sprawled on her floor, stripped down as much as they could be against the heat. She enjoyed the view for a minute before she groaned and flopped down beside them.

College was quite the adventure so far. Not even here a day and she was surrounded by sweaty men. Too bad one of them was as gay as the day was long and the other…

Well, she wasn't going to get anywhere thinking about the other one. It had to be some kind of wrong. He was a _real_ adult—a job, a home of his own, plenty of money. In fact, she should stop looking at his muscular arms. He seemed tame and mild mannered, but his arms were pleasingly muscular. And she thought she'd caught a hint of a tattoo as they worked, but that couldn't be right, could it? He was so clean. Almost innocent. Not in a naive way. Maybe pure is was the right word. She felt like maybe she shouldn't curse around him, and that was strangely charming.

Carlisle turned his head to the side, and Bella quickly looked to the ceiling, chastising herself for staring. All her last high school semester, and all this summer, her mind had been in overdrive. That was the problem. One too many clandestine fantasies about falling for her handsome professor.

If any of her professors looked like Carlisle, she was never going to pass.

Edward let out a sigh. "So, what do you think?"

"Huh?" Right. They'd been in the middle of a conversation. "Yeah. Yeah, I'll play the damsel in distress this once if it'll solve my roommate problem."

As it turned out, Edward had a complicated home life. From what Bella gathered, Edward wanted to live away from home, but his and Carlisle's mother would have some kind of breakdown if he'd suggested he wanted to leave her side and go to the dorms. Helping out a friend who'd been left high and dry, however, was a whole different story. These men were raised to help others where they could.

Bella thought it was a great idea. Edward was wicked funny. Carlisle would make sure the rent got paid.

The first major disaster of her adult life didn't turn out so bad after all.

* * *

 **A/N: I'll see you soon!**


	2. Chapter 2

**A/N: Thanks for coming along with me on this ride.**

* * *

Edward, it turned out, was an excellent wingman. The problem was, they rarely agreed on who Bella should be targeting. So it was no surprise when Edward followed her gaze across the room at the party they were at and immediately turned back to her with narrowed eyes. "Bella, no."

Bella frowned. "Seriously? All I've done is look at him."

"I know that look." He pointed a finger between her eyes. "And he's got trouble written all over him."

"Are you high? Have you ever seen him before in your life?"

"No."

"Don't know his name?"

"No."

"So what—"

"Bella. No."

Looking back across the room, she saw the man who'd caught her eye had spotted her. He had long, scraggly blond hair, and a delicious grin. He had to be at least a senior if he went to school at all. He started walking her way.

"Bella, yes," Bella said, patting Edward's arm.

"Bella—"

She swung around, taking his hand and squeezing it. He wasn't trying to be a pain in the ass. He really cared about her. He had this whole theory that her poor taste in men was a result of the fact she'd had to be too responsible in her childhood, and she was making up for it now. "Hey, if this all goes tits up, I won't be mad if you say 'I told you so.'"

 _ **~0~**_

Edward didn't say 'I told you so.'

James Hunter, the quintessential bad boy from the wrong side of the tracks, with his badass motorcycle and his guitar strapped to his back, had shattered her heart into a million pieces one week before finals. Of course he had.

But Edward was a good friend. He'd picked up all the pieces, wrapped her up in his arms, and wiped away all her tears.

"Ughhh. The fucking bad boy." Bella sniffled, raising her head from Edward's shoulder. "It's so cliché I want to die."

"Pfft. No," Edward said. "You're missing a few elements. He doesn't have a record, first of all."

"Only because his files were sealed because he was a minor."

"And he's blond, not dark haired."

Bella sniffled, shaking her head. "I have a thing for blonds," she muttered.

Edward hugged her. "Don't feel stupid. We've all been there."

"You haven't."

"Ah, yes I have."

She quirked an eyebrow. "High school? Really?"

"How do you think I know trouble when I see it?"

Their front door came open then. Bella's head shot up, but she shouldn't have been surprised. The only other person who had the key to the apartment was Carlisle. Sure enough, there he was, carrying a bunch of bags. Bella hopped off the couch, running to help. Those bags looked heavy and it wasn't like her apartment had an elevator. "What's all this?"

It wouldn't be the first time Carlisle stopped by with groceries. He refused to let them live off Ramen noodles and grilled cheese like normal college students. But these weren't the usual groceries he brought by.

"This is your 'boys are stupid' starter pack," he said, settling the bags on the kitchen table.

"Present company excluded," Edward said.

Carlisle scoffed. "Present company included. Especially you, but not the dumb boys in question right now." He started to take things out of the bags he'd brought. "Dinner."

Bella's broken heart warmed slightly when she saw that he'd brought food from her favorite Italian restaurant. "Double breadsticks, even."

"Yep." He set out the next items. "Chocolate, ice cream, and cookie dough." And the next bag. "Darts, in case you have a picture of the bastard you want to desecrate."

Bella bit her lip, smiling a little in spite of herself.

"Booze. Either wine coolers or hard lemonade." He set two six packs of both on the counter.

Bella's eyebrows shot skyward. "Encouraging underage drinking?"

He grinned. "See, that's the benefit of being the cool older brother instead of the parent. I won't tell if you won't."

She made a show of zipping her lips.

"Last category." He took several Blu-Rays out of the last bag. "Entertainment for distraction purposes. We've got action, in case you want to see guys being blown up or beat up. Romance, in case you're in the mood to remind yourself that good guys still exist. And then there's this." He handed her three DVDs.

Bella gasped, grasping them to her chest to hide them and then dropping them all together. "Carlisle, what the—" Her eyes went wide, and she stared at him.

"Lesbian porn. In case you decide to play for the other team after this," he said, completely straight-faced.

That did it. Bella threw back her head and laughed, cheered for the first time since this whole debacle started. She let Carlisle pull her into a hug. Damn. He gave good hug. Comforting.

Many hours later, Edward had passed out—damn lightweight. Bella was, for the most part, better. Her heart still ached terribly, but it was easier to tolerate now. At some point during the evening, she'd ended up wedged between the Cullen boys. Edward was snoozing now, his head on her lap, and she was pressed against Carlisle's warm side, not self-conscious about it because booze was a wonderful thing.

"The first time James…" Bella swallowed hard, searching for the right words. "The first time he scared me, Edward tried so hard to get me to wake the hell up. Call a spade a spade. He said he just didn't want me to end up like his mother."

Carlisle sucked in a breath, and Bella felt bad. She'd wanted to ask for a long time, but Elizabeth Cullen was a bit of a sore topic amongst her boys. They seemed to have very different, very complicated relationships with her. "Sorry. It's none of my business."

"It's okay." Carlisle lifted his beer to his lips and took a small drink. He tapped his fingers on the bottle a few more seconds before he began to speak in his gentle voice. "Our mother met our father the first day of university. She was pregnant with me three weeks later. He was a controlling, abusive asshole, and when she was finally in a place where she felt like she could leave him, he sabotaged her birth control."

"Jesus Christ," Bella muttered under her breath.

"Yeah." Carlisle's arm had been draped over the back of the couch most of the night. His fingertips skimmed across her shoulders in a soothing motion, absent motion. When she looked over at him, he was staring straight forward, lost in memory. "Edward was ten before I could get him out. Mom… Well, the mind of an abuse victim is hard to understand. Put it that way. Really long story short, it was just me and Edward until about three years ago. Mom was finally able to get away from Dad. Got her life together and got Edward back."

"Damn." The stroke of Carlisle's fingers on her skin was making her sleepy. She yawned. "If you're trying to get me never to date again, it's working."

He made a face. "I was going for, the 'at least it wasn't that bad' angle." He ruffled her hair. "You're going to be okay. There are a lot of assholes out there, but there are a lot of good guys too. And you have time, Bella. All the time in the world."

She yawned again and rested her head tentatively on his shoulder, needing the warmth and easy comfort. Good guys. "Hey, Carlisle?"

"Hmm?"

"Your dad's a dick, but that you turned out to be such a good guy makes you pretty awesome."

He sighed. She thought she heard him mutter, "I'm not that good," but she was already mostly asleep.

* * *

 **A/N: I'm going to try to post every other day until we're caught up to where the o/s ended.**


	3. Chapter 3

**A/N: Moving along!**

* * *

The summer between freshman and sophomore year was one of the best Bella had ever had. It was the first time she tasted pure freedom. Though she did go home for a couple of weeks to visit her father and her mother came to stay the weekend with her, Bella stayed in her apartment. She had a job, after all, and it would have been a waste to lose her apartment just for the sake of hanging out at Charlie's house while he went fishing.

Edward, on the other hand, did have to go home for the summer break, but given that his mother lived in the same city as their university, Bella didn't see him any less. She felt a little bad that Carlisle kept paying for his little brother _not_ to sleep in his room, but there wasn't much she could do about that.

Either way, Edward was never far, and he—and Carlisle, for that matter—was always there when she needed him. Edward was the one she'd texted with an S.O.S. when she needed to bail on a first date.

"Ugh," she groused, throwing herself down on the couch when they got home. "This is all your fault."

Edward arched an eyebrow, arms crossed as he looked down on her. "How do you figure that?"

"After James, you said you were going to help me find a good guy, but you're always busy, so I had to go looking for myself."

Even though he had to know she was teasing, Edward looked abashed. "I know. I've ditched you too often. It's just this music thing, you know?"

Of course Bella knew. Edward was some kind of unsung music prodigy, and the university was finally beginning to recognize that. He'd been accepted into a summer program that was headed for DC in another month. It was an intense program to say the least. He was putting in an obscene amount of hours practicing.

"I was kidding, nitwit," she said, ruffling his hair as he sat beside her.

He studied her a minute. "Why do you go for those kinds of guys though?"

"What kind of guys?"

He pointed at her, a smirk playing at his lips. "You know exactly what I'm talking about. There's always something about the guys you're attracted to that's a little, I don't know, dangerous?"

"Exciting. Exciting, not dangerous." Bella sighed and tilted her head on the back of the couch, staring up at the ceiling. "I'm like...the perfect mix of my mom and my dad."

"Well, yes. That's true of all of us." Edward snickered.

"No. That's not what I meant." Bella smacked him playfully. "Jerk. I mean when it comes to love. My dad always wanted someone steady, someone who was concerned about him. You know. Someone who wants you to be happy, secure, and fulfilled-all that jazz. And my mom was always attracted to the guys who could give her the biggest thrill."

She shrugged. "My mom was never scared to make a fool of herself for the sake of a good time, and I didn't think that's what I wanted. But, I don't know, I guess I like the thrill more than I thought I would. It's romantic, you know what I mean? In that bohemian, free spirit kind of way? But that part of me that's like my dad gets freaked out when they're a little too wild."

"A balance of the two sounds nice." He tapped the tip of her nose. "Although, exciting doesn't necessarily have to go with _bad_. Just for the record."

"Yeah, yeah." Bella looked at him. "So what about you? You've got to be surrounded by devilishly handsome musicians. You got any 'this one time at band camp' stories yet?"

Edward rolled his eyes. "I do, but I got over that phase in high school. Musicians are arrogant bastards, Bella."

"You don't say." She fixed him with a grin.

 _ **~0~**_

The semester started, and Edward went from busy, busy, busy to ludicrously busy. After missing him one too many times, Carlisle decided he was going to wait Edward out. He was surprisingly easy to talk to, and before Bella knew it, they'd chatted into the small hours of the morning.

They ended up with their heads bent together, both of them cackling like loons at their plan to remind Edward he was still only nineteen years old and maybe he could act like it every once in a while. A surprise party would be just the thing.

To that end, they swapped numbers. That was how Bella ended up chatting with him as she sat in the library, trying to track down the studies she needed to complete a project she was working on. She was tucked into a far corner, so she didn't think talking softly would disturb anyone.

"Although, speaking of which, he's not the only sophomore who may be taking school a little too seriously. I hear a lot of paper rustling on your end of the line. Are you still at the library?" Carlisle asked.

"Ah, yeah, but I haven't been here that..." Bella glanced at the time in the corner of her laptop and balked. "Shit, it's almost midnight."

"I was going to say. Aren't they closed?"

"In fifteen minutes." Bella sighed and rubbed at her eyes. "Maybe majoring in biology isn't a good idea after all."

"Good thing you haven't officially declared your major," Carlisle said with a chuckle. "Where's your truck?"

Bella considered and cursed again. "Shit. I walked today. I really wasn't expecting to be at the library this long."

"Can you call the Campus police to escort you?"

"I could, but it usually takes forever for them to get here." Bella had made it to the front door of the library now and stared outside. She could see the wind whipping the trees back and forth. "That's if they answer at all." She shook her head. "I'm just going to walk. It's well-lit. Mostly."

"Bella, no." She could hear rustling as he moved around his place.

"You don't have to worry about me. I got the pepper spray my dad gave me."

"Isn't James still being a creeper?"

Bella grimaced, a tendril of fear racing down her spine. Her ex was indeed being a wee bit obnoxious. Nothing too horrible, but the thought of him lurking wasn't entirely out of the question. "I haven't seen him in days. He was just being stupid. You really don't have to worry. There are so many books in my bag, I can use it as a weapon." She tried to joke, but judging from the silence on the other line, it fell flat.

"Just sit tight," he said, and she heard a door close on his end. "I'll be there in ten minutes."

"Carlisle, you have work in—"

"I'm not going to get any sleep anyway until I know you're home safely. Ten minutes."

True to his word, Carlisle and his way-too-fast, sleek car pulled up in front of the library. Bella hurried down the steps. She tossed her backpack in the backseat before climbing into the front.

"Whoa." Carlisle stared into the backseat where her bag had landed with a loud thump. "You really could kill someone with that thing."

"Told you." Bella buckled up and flashed him a smile. "Thanks for coming all the way here just to save me a twenty-minute walk."

"At midnight." He shook his head as he put the car in gear. "You can call me any time for any reason. I hope you know that."

"I do. I would have been fine, though."

"Better safe then—" Carlisle was cut off when Bella's stomach gave a loud rumble. A very, very loud rumble.

Bella clapped her hands over her face. "Oh, man. Because that wasn't embarrassing."

"You've been in the library all day, haven't you?"

"I told you I lost track of time. Don't worry about me. I have—"

"If you're about to say Ramen…"

Bella made a face. "There's nothing wrong with Ramen every once in awhile."

"There's nothing right with Ramen. Unless it's an actual Ramen place, but I know that's not what we're talking about here." Carlisle waved one hand out. "So, Denny's. Buffalo Wild Wings is open until one. There's also that twenty-four hour sandwich place."

"Don't be crazy. It's already crazy that you're out here when you have work in the morning." Though, now that Bella thought about it, she was _really_ hungry.

He turned to look at her. "Do I look like I'm tired?"

"You look like someone who should be watching the damn road!" Bella ducked her head, squeaking as she stared outside. "Cripes, you're worse than your brother, you know that?"

"Ha." Carlisle thankfully didn't take his eyes off the road again. "My brother still owes me from the last speeding ticket he got, so I know for a fact I'm better at speeding than he is."

Bella rolled her eyes. "Strange things you Cullen men are proud of."

"We all have to be good at something." Carlisle pointed a hole-in-the wall place with an Open sign. "How about a taco?"

Deciding that Carlisle was a big boy and could deal with being exhausted, Bella decided sandwiches were the way to go.

Some minutes later, she was settled across from Carlisle, enjoying a BBQ pork, Vietnamese style sandwich on a crusty French baguette and talking about potential majors. "Genetics seemed like the good way to go, you know? It's fascinating stuff, and it's the key to fixing so many devastating diseases." Bella shrugged. "But that's doctorate level stuff, and I'm getting a headache on the 200 level class as it is."

"Nothing worth doing is easy." Carlisle shrugged. "Though, there's no sense in hanging on to a major you picked on a whim, if that's what it was. You're free to change your mind and explore your options. That's what your general education units are for."

"Sure, but it drives me crazy that some of my gen ed courses can be used toward my major if I could only decide." She made a face. "I hate having decisions hang over me."

"I know," Carlisle said with a soft smile.

She eyed him. "How did you decide to be a lawyer, anyway?"

He snorted and looked down, his smile tightening considerably. "Pure obstinacy, actually." He took a long sip of his drink. "I learned from a very young age to control myself, my emotions, and my actions. But inside my head, it was very loud. I was always arguing internally because I couldn't do it externally.

"So, the first thing I did when I got to college was enroll in an argumentation and debate class. Because when I was finally able to speak my mind, I wanted to do so with eloquence, class, and irrefutable logic.

"After that, it was kind of a one thing led to another situation." His cheek twitched. "My charming father consistently told me I was the worst thing to happen to the world, so I decided I was going to help people. Which…" He laughed. "I guess it might not seem like that given that I practice contract law, and entertainment contract law at that, but it was the same principle. The little guy is still screwed over by the big guy, you know? Especially newbie musicians and actors. They don't know any better, and they get taken advantage of. I don't like that. I like to think I'm doing some good."

"Hey." Bella, her heart aching, reached out and brushed her fingers over his on his coffee cup. She waited as his eyes, troubled and heavier than they had been just minutes before, met hers. "You _are_ doing good things. Your dad's a dick."

He smiled and ducked his head. "Yes. You've mentioned that before."

"Hey, you know what I was thinking?"

"What's that?"

"This is the first time we've had dinner just you and me. No Edward."

Carlisle considered her a moment, thinking. "It is, isn't it?"

"And you're here looking out for me. I guess I'm officially your honorary sister, huh?"

His smile was oddly rueful as he looked down at his coffee. "I always did want a little sister." He looked up at her, his smile more genuine now. "A sister from another mister."

Bella laughed. "Yeah. My dad's a great guy."

"Thank goodness for that."

* * *

 **A/N: He's been brother-zoned. Dun dun dun.**


	4. Chapter 4

**A/N: Happy weekend!**

* * *

"Do any of us actually know anything about football or all we all here to ogle the players' tight butts?" Bella asked, amused when no one in their little group seemed remotely interested in the apparently superb play that had just gone down on the field. Everyone else around them was barely settling down again after leaping to their feet.

Carlisle raised his hand. "I know many things about football, and I am definitely not here to ogle butts."

It was the first football game of Bella's junior year. Bella had been dragged to it by her friends, Angela and Jessica. Edward had come along because he actually had the afternoon free for once and...yeah. Cute butts. Carlisle had been in the wrong place at the wrong time and, well, Jessica could be trusted to flirt with anyone who looked as good as Carlisle did, male or female, regardless of age.

Hey, Bella knew she wasn't the only one with a hot professor fantasy.

Being polite, Carlisle had agreed to go along, but he wasn't responding to Jessica at all. It made Bella weirdly smug. She hid her smirk as Jessica puffed her chest out a bit more, just in case.

"Maybe you're not checking out the butts, but you're not paying attention either." Bella leaned over and plucked the phone from Carlisle's hand.

He caught her by the wrist, the movement so quick and firm it made her gasp. "Sorry," he said, keeping her hand in an iron grip while he took his phone back with the other hand. "Personal information."

"I'm sorry." She laughed, the sound breathless. Her heart had skipped a beat and was pounding against her ribcage now to make up for it. It _had_ been an obnoxious move, but how was she supposed to know he was working? Who worked at a football game? "You're supposed to work _or_ play. Not both at the same time."

A smile tugged at the corner of his mouth, and he let her hand go. "It was just an e-mail. Will you pass the popcorn?" He reached across her for the bag she held in her other hand.

Now it was her turn to play keep away. "Nope. I asked everyone if they wanted some, and you were too busy with your phone. You snooze you lose, buddy." She flashed her cheekiest grin.

Edward leaned over from his place a few spaces away. "She did ask." He matched Bella's cheeky grin.

"Uh huh. I see how you both are."

Bella stuck out her tongue. Carlisle reached over again and took some popcorn anyway, flashing her a satisfied smirk as he munched his prize. She poked him in the side.

"You know you're drooling, right?"

Bella's head snapped to the side, her brows furrowed in confusion, but she realized Jessica wasn't talking to her. She'd apparently given up on getting Carlisle's attention, and was snickering at Edward whose cheeks were indeed pink.

He rubbed the back of his neck. "Yeah, well, have you seen him?"

Following Edward's gaze, Bella figured out who he and Jessica were talking about. The player had a nice body, but didn't they all?

"He swings your way, you know," Jessica said in a teasing voice.

"You know him?"

"Yeah. We hang out. His name is Benjamin. I can introduce you."

"Well, you kids have fun with that." Carlisle stood, his eyes on his phone again.

Bella looked up at him, frowning. "You have to go?"

His eyes met hers. "Yeah. This is turning into a thing." He gave her hair a playful ruffle. "I'll see you soon."

Half an hour later, Jessica had taken Edward off to meet the jock of his dreams, and Bella was walking with Angela back to her dorm room.

"Hey, can I ask you a question?" Angela asked. "You don't have to answer. I was just curious."

"About what?"

"Is there something going on between you and Edward's brother?"

Bella stumbled a step. "What? Like what?"

Angela shrugged. "I don't know. You just seem close, I guess."

"We are close. I mean...we're friends."

"Yeah." Angela sounded uncertain, but she shrugged and smiled her gentle smile. "I don't touch my friends that much, but I have personal space issues." She laughed. "Can you imagine how jealous Jess would have been? She'd have shit a brick."

 _ **~0~**_

As it was getting toward the end of the year, Edward was again super busy. Thus, as per usual, Bella was alone in the apartment at night and about to go out of her skin. She was perched on the edge of the couch, her feet up, and her fingernails in her mouth. She gave a startled yelp when she heard keys in the door.

Stepping into the living room, Edward stopped and looked at her. "Bella?"

"Thank fuck you're home." Bella threw her book to the side and got up. She ran across the room and threw herself into his arms.

He hugged her back. "What's going on?"

"Come sit with me," she pleaded, taking his hand and hauling him toward the sofa.

"Okay. Honey, are you…" He trailed off, and Bella saw his eyes were on the book she'd discarded. He stopped short, making her spring backward. "For fuck's sake, Bella. One of your books is freaking you out, isn't it?"

She screwed up her face.

Edward pulled his hand from hers and crossed to the sofa. He picked up the book that had fallen to the side. " _The Demonologist. The True_ "—he spoke that word scathingly—" _Accounts of the Paranormal Investigators Featured in the film 'The Conjuring'_." He shook the book. "You can't possibly believe this, right? Demons?"

"I don't believe it, but I don't _not_ believe it." She shook her head. "It's fascinating regardless, okay? It just…" She shivered and rubbed her hands up and down her arms. "It's creepy, that's all. Come on. Just sit with me. I'm almost done. I'll read it out loud for you."

Edward shook his head. "Sorry, kiddo. I only came back to get my stuff."

Bella stared at him. "You're leaving? You can't leave."

"I haven't seen Benjamin for five days, B." Suffice it to say, Jessica's introduction at the beginning of the year had gone well. Edward and Benjamin were head over heels these days.

Usually, Bella liked to tease him about his relationship—good naturedly of course—but this time, she was the needy one. "A little distance is healthy."

"I want to get laid."

"You can't do this to me," she whined.

"I'm capable of doing that to you, but I don't want to. Which is why I'm leaving you to go visit my boyfriend."

Bella wrinkled her nose. "Well, fuck. Fine. Who would want to have sex with you anyway?"

"Benjamin." He kissed her nose. "I'm going to get my bag, and I'm leaving." He headed for his room.

"You're leaving me here to be eaten by demons," she called after him. "You realize that, right?"

"There's no such thing as demons, Bella," he called back. "Just substitute the word demon for vampires. You said that vampire book I got you didn't scare you."

"Because vampires are ridiculous. Burned by the fucking sun. Give me a break. That's not plausible."

He reappeared, backpack over one shoulder. She put on her best puppy dog expression. "Please stay? Just for a little while? Or tell Benjamin to come over here."

His expression was wary as he eyed her. "What happened to that boy you were messing around with? The freshman? Jacob."

Bella made a face. "Bleh, I cut him loose. He was way too obsessed with my boobs. You fucking swear. He always had his hands on them just because he could. Honka honka. Was he twelve?"

"I'm not going to say I told you so…"

"Except you just did." Bella stuck out her tongue at him.

Edward chuckled and pressed a kiss to her forehead. "Okay. Be good. I'll see you tomorrow."

"No!" Bella grabbed his hand. "Edward, please."

He looked exasperated. "Boyfriend, Bella. Sex. Lots and lots of athletic sex, and I, for one, wouldn't mind if he keeps squeezing my fun bags." He looked down his own body and waggled his eyebrows. "Bye now."

"Don't go! I'll… I'll.. I'll tell your brother."

Edward stopped short and looked at her, his lips quirked in amusements. "Seriously? You're going to tell on me?"

Bella was already dialing. "Hey, Bella." Carlisle picked up on the second ring.

"Your brother's being mean to me."

Edward rolled his eyes and shouldered his bag. "You're ridiculous. Goodnight, Bella."

"Are you okay?" Carlisle asked on the other end of the phone.

Bella huffed. "Yeah. Sorry, I was giving Edward a hard time for leaving me to be eaten by demons so he can get some."

There was a pause on the other end of the line. "See, I know that was all in English, but I'm pretty sure I missed something."

"Bleh. Don't mind me. I maybe, kinda, sorta creeped myself out reading this severely disturbing book, and I'm here all alone and spooked."

"And Edward wouldn't stay home," Carlisle finished for her.

"Yeah, the bastard."

Carlisle chuckled. "Do you want me to come over?"

"What? No. I'm not actually that ridiculous," Bella lied.

"I'm only doing some research. Nothing I couldn't do anywhere."

Bella hesitated, biting her lip. In her head, she could see Carlisle at the other end of the couch, laptop on his lap and feet propped up on the coffee table. Warmth spread through her chest at the thought, chasing away the creepy-crawly sensation that threatened after Edward left.

But, no. "I'm a big girl. I'll survive."

After she hung up and because she was the biggest moron ever, Bella picked up the book again. Twenty minutes later, she'd dragged her comforter out to the living room so she could hide under it, cringing away from the book in her hand.

When someone knocked on the door, Bella actually screamed. She fell to the floor, tangled up in the comforter, which only made her more panicked. It took her forever to wrestle herself out of the confines of the blanket, and when she did, she wasn't entirely surprised to find that Carlisle had let himself in. She yelped anyway, landing backward, resting on her elbows as she looked up at him.

For a few seconds, they just stared at each other, Bella catching her breath and Carlisle pursing his lips as though he didn't know quite what to make of her. He breathed in through his nose and spoke calmly. "Are you okay?"

"Yes."

He nodded. "That's good."

She narrowed her eyes. "Because you don't want to laugh at me if I'm actually in some kind of danger?"

At that, he couldn't keep his grin from spreading as he laughed. He was lucky he had such a pretty smile, so she couldn't be angry at him. He chuckled again and put a hand over his mouth. "I'm sorry. It's just that you look…" He gestured with his hand at her.

She didn't have to guess how this must have looked. Her cheeks were flushed, her hair and clothes disheveled after her wrestling match with the blanket. Yeah, possibly not her best moment.

Carlisle offered his hand, and Bella took it, letting him pull her to her feet. "Did you really come over here because I'm scared of demons who probably don't exist?"

"See, but you can't rule it out. So why take a chance?"

"Ugh." Bella covered her face with her hands, embarrassed. "Oh, man. I'm such a little kid right now. Like I woke up from a nightmare and I need the real adult to chase away all the invisible monsters."

"That's the thing about nightmares. The monsters aren't invisible to the person having one."

"But I'm not even having a nightmare." Bella sat on the couch in a huff, pulling her legs up to her chest. She picked up the book and thrust it at him. "And in my defense, all of this stuff supposedly happened."

"Hmm." Carlisle sat beside her. He flipped open the book and began to read.

Bella was self-conscious at first, wondering if the words sounded ridiculous to his ears. But Carlisle didn't make fun of it the way Edward would have. In fact, he piqued a curious eyebrow and read in an interested tone.

After a few minutes, Bella was really getting into the story. She scooted closer and closer to him until her toes were brushing his leg. Chills ran down her spine as he read about an encounter with a possessed doll. He lifted his arm, and Bella didn't hesitate. She threw her legs over his lap and curled into his embrace, hiding her face at his shoulder as he read on.

When he got to the part where the doll spoke, the voice he put on was so eerie it made her skin crawl. She lifted her head with a gasp. "Oh, my god. Don't do that."

With a devilish grin, he tilted his head so his lips were near her ear and read on in the same creep-tastic voice. Bella squeaked, splaying her hands against his chest and pushing back. He held her fast, though, not letting her get away.

"Oh, I see how you are. You come over here like a white knight, supposedly to slay the monsters, but noooo." She smacked lightly at his chest. "You just want to creep me out more. Who's the real demon here, huh?"

He chuckled. The sound was a low rumbled she felt against her palm, and when he spoke, his voice was huskier than she ever remembered it being. "Yes, that's me. The scary demon. Don't pretend you don't like being scared," he teased.

"No one likes being scared." She argued out of habit, but she was curiously dizzy and distracted, suddenly very aware of his nearness.

"You're right. The horror industry does absolutely no business, and all those haunted houses that pop up around Halloween time aren't popular at all."

She made a face at him. "You're a smug bastard sometimes, you know that?"

He hummed in response, his eyes on hers. Fuck, he had such pretty eyes. And a devastatingly handsome face. And his arm was strong and firm around her.

In the space between breaths, the air around them changed. The creepy-crawly sensation that ran along her skin was replaced by an electric buzz that made her breath catch in her throat. He raised his hand, skimming his fingers along her chin. The touch coiled something deep in her gut, making her heartbeat pick up speed. Her eyes darted to his lips.

The moment lingered and passed. Bella breathed out in a huff, realizing what she was doing and what she wanted. "I, um…" She got hastily for her feet, her throat tight and her heartbeat going wild. "Pizza." Her voice was distorted. "Do you want some pizza? And maybe we can watch _The Conjuring_ , because you know, I never have actually seen that movie." She'd paced away, heading for the kitchen where she kept a magnet of her favorite pizza place.

"Uh, yeah. Yes. That sounds good," Carlisle said.

In the kitchen, Bella tried to catch her breath. She braced herself against the counter, trying to sort out what the hell had come over her.

She couldn't look at him the way she just had. It was out of the question. He was Carlisle, for fuck's sake. He was… Well, it was just dumb, that was all. What the hell was wrong with her? She'd been a millisecond away from starting some kind of awkward drama.

It was just her body's reaction to being that close to a man, that was all. He treated her the same way he treated Edward—like a sibling. She hadn't grown up with siblings. And he was so damn attractive to boot. Her psyche had just gotten tripped up, that was all, had read the signs wrong.

Except, she had no problem being that close to Edward in a sibling-like way, and he was damn attractive too. She could hang off him and cuddle him, and she'd never wanted to do what she'd almost done a minute ago.

It didn't matter. There were about three thousand ways the whole thing was just dumb. She was twenty-years old to his thirty-seven. Maybe if she'd been a bombshell, or powerful in her own right, he might have glanced twice at her. But even then, she didn't think so. The women Carlisle dated were always around his age and sophisticated. They had fancy jobs and did interesting things.

And here she was, a broke college student in her ratty pajama bottoms, faded t-shirt, getting spooked over a fucking book. So alluring.

It was absolutely pathetic that her eyes started to sting, and it was just dumb. She didn't see Carlisle that way. Her body had just had some kind of reaction.

"Bella?"

Bella took a deep breath, and when she turned to face Carlisle, she'd put on a bright smile. "Sorry. Spaced out for a second. What did you want on your pizza?"

He studied her for a beat, his features painted in concern. Brotherly concern, as always. "Anything but pineapple," he said lightly.

Bella snorted, and the heavy, awkward atmosphere dissipated. "I keep telling you that you're missing out."

"I keep telling you fruit doesn't belong on pizza."

"And yet you were the one who took us to that overly-fancy pizza place that served _pears_ on the pizza."

"They were delicious," he said indignantly. "You said so yourself."

"They were. And so's pineapple."

"Blasphemy."

* * *

 **A/N: Mmmmhmmm.**

 **How are you beautiful people doing?**


	5. Chapter 5

**A/N: It's Monday, twelve thirty in the morning, and I'm still awake. This doesn't bode well….**

 **Oh, I also should have said Carlisle was thirty-six last chapter.**

* * *

Bella could hardly believe it. She'd just finished the first week of her last semester of college-or at least her Bachelor's degree. This part of her life was almost over, and the next chapter was looming closer.

These last four years had been great. Life continued to surprise her. Like now, for instance. Who could have predicted that she'd ever willingly be hanging out with a frat boy? One who was wheedling her, trying to get her to come to a frat party? She'd managed to avoid it these last four years. Why would she bend now?

"Come on, Bella. Frat boys aren't _that_ bad."

Bella shook her head, laughing at Alice who sat on Jasper's lap. Why she had to be on top of him almost all the time, Bella would never understand. "I think you're biased."

Jasper arched a challenging eyebrow. "What, you think I turn into an obnoxious, sex-crazed ape when I'm around my brothers, or whatever stereotype you've got going in your head?"

"You are a sex-crazed ape, but I like it." Alice pressed a quick smack to the side of his hair.

"Hey."

Bella laughed. "I've never seen you detached from Alice, so who knows what you're like when you're not being supervised."

A knock at the door interrupted their bantering. Bella got up and went to the door. She was still grinning when she opened it, and her grin only widened when she saw who it was. "Carlisle, you're back," she said, throwing her arms around the man for a hug. "I didn't know you were coming."

His chuckle was low and warm near her ear as he hugged her back. "You make it sound like I've been away for a month instead of a week." He let her go and looked over her shoulder when he heard Alice's laughter. "I'm sorry. I should have texted. I'm interrupting something."

"Never." Bella took his hand and led him into the living room of the apartment. "I can finally introduce you to Alice and Jasper. Remember I told you about them?" She sat in the arm chair across from Alice and Jasper on the sofa. Carlisle came to stand behind her, leaning against the back of the chair.

"Sure. Alice and Jasper. Both already entrepreneurs. Her, custom-made jewelry popular on Etsy and at craft fairs on campus, which is where you all met. Him, photography. You did your first wedding at seventeen." He squeezed her shoulders. "All of which makes Bella feel self-conscious because she's had to resort to the old fashioned way of making money: working for someone else, even though I keep telling her it's admirable to have four years of solid work under her belt before she graduates from college."

"Sure. Fine." Bella shook her head and looked to Alice and Jasper. "Guys, this is Carlisle, Edward's brother." She craned her head back. "Edward's not here right now."

"I know. He told me he was busy. We have dinner plans tomorrow," he said, his head tilted down to look at her. They were almost nose to nose. He brought his arm up and dropped a bag onto her lap. "I came here to see you. I found this on my trip."

Bella sat up with a squeak of pleasure as she hurried to get into the bag. As she'd expected, there was a book in there. " _Severed: A History of Heads Lost and Heads Found_ ," she read aloud, getting more excited by the second. "It's a history of beheading?"

"That's the idea," Carlisle said, his beautiful smile beaming as he looked down at her.

Bella reached up, wrapping her arms around his neck and bringing his head down so she could kiss his cheek. "I don't know why you're so good to me."

"Uh. Beheadings? Severed heads?" Alice looked more than a little horrified. "What the hell is going on? If you're a serial killer, I think it's only polite for you to let us know before you end up wearing our skins like a jacket."

"I wouldn't worry too much," Bella said with an air of nonchalance as she flipped through her new book. "You're too small to be anyone's jacket." She peered at them over the top of her book, letting her eyes roam over Alice's boyfriend. "Jasper, on the other hand…"

"Don't kill my boyfriend, or I'll be forced to kill you slowly." Alice shook her head. "Seriously. The book?"

It was Carlisle who answered for her. "You haven't seen Bella's collection of macabre books?" He pointed to a corner of the living room.

Alice wrinkled her nose. And Jasper snickered. He ruffled his girlfriend's hair. "Alice tries to ignore design disasters. If she looks at that shelf for more than five seconds, I get to hear about it all the way home."

In all fairness, the jet black shelf with its weird books and even weirder decorations did look out of place in the otherwise normal-looking, even a little plain apartment. Alice hopped off Jasper's lap and went to peruse the shelves. She whistled. "There is some seriously weird shit in here, girlfriend."

" _Death and the Afterlife: A Chronological Journey from Creation to Quantum Resurrection_." Jasper made a face at the book. "What the fuck is Quantum Resurrection?"

An hour later, Bella's bookshelf had been well and thoroughly dissected—not unlike some of the subjects of said books. "I have to get going. I have court in the morning and a lot to prepare before then." Carlisle leaned down to kiss Bella's cheek. "I'll see you soon, okay?" He looked to Alice and Jasper. "Nice to meet you."

Bella followed him to the door. She lingered a moment, watching him retreat down the steps before she turned back to her apartment. She gave a yelp when she found Alice leaning against the wall right behind her. "Alice, what the hell?"

" _That_ was Edward's big brother?"

Narrowing her eyes at her friend's tone, Bella pushed past her to go back into the living room. "What about him?"

"I thought he was a geezer."

Bella rolled her eyes. "No one ever said that. He was sixteen when Edward was born."

"Thirty-seven." Alice tapped her lips. "He looks younger. And he's hot as sin."

"What?" Bella asked, sure she was missing whatever Alice was getting at. It was the truth, of course, but her friend-who'd been trying to set Bella up with a nice frat boy since they met-had that scheming tone in her voice. "Yeah, Carlisle's good looking, but what does that have to do with anything?"

Jasper looked at her, his gaze oddly serious. "He likes you."

Bella gawked at him. She gave a startled laugh even as her heartbeat picked up speed. "You're so full of shit." Both her friends just stared at her. "Come on. He's...Why would you even say that?"

"The way he looks at you," Alice said.

"The way he touches you," Jasper said.

"He brought you a book you loved just because he was thinking of you while he was away," Alice said.

Bella shook her head, dismissing the picture they were seeing. "That's just Carlisle. He's thoughtful like that. I've told you—"

"You've told us a lot about him," Alice finished for her. "You talk about him all the time."

"Because he's my friend!" Bella crossed her arms over her chest. She didn't know why she was blushing, and she didn't like it. "He's Edward's brother so he's here a lot. He's got a good reason to be. They have a close relationship."

"He's here when Edward isn't." Jasper's tone was gentle. "He likes you." He paused a beat. "And you like him."

"No. Not like that," Bella insisted. The heat coming off her cheeks could fry an egg. She'd had the fleeting thought, sure, but surely it hadn't been that obvious. Fuck.

They quizzed her then about the nature of her relationship with Carlisle. When she said them out loud, some of the things they did together, the way they were with each other… Well, Bella could see why it painted a certain picture in their minds.

Bella stared at her friends. "But none of that matters. It doesn't make any sense for him to like me like that. He's...Look, I'm not a kid, but to him, I have to be just a kid. I'm an adult, but he's an _adult._ " She shook her head for the millionth time, wishing like hell she could just laugh at all this.

It was impossible. Alice and Jasper seemed to think that not only was Carlisle crushing on her but that he had been for a long time. They were just seeing what they wanted to see and hearing what they wanted to hear.

Right?

"It makes no sense," Bella repeated.

Alice and Jasper both laughed. Jasper turned to his girlfriend, running the back of his knuckles down her cheek with a smile so beautiful it made Bella's heart ache. He turned to look at Bella. "It's not supposed to make sense, sugar. That's kind of the beautiful thing about it, you know?"

Bella groaned, slumping over in her seat with her hands over her face. "This isn't beautiful." Her head was a mess, her thoughts racing as quickly as her heart. She felt blind and so stupid. Carlisle aside, if nothing else, her own feelings on the matter were obvious now.

But when? When the hell had she fallen? And she was head over heels, tongue-tied and twitterpated. It made her want to giggle, and it made her want to sob, and it made her want to run out the door and find him.

"But he's… He's so sedate. That's not even my type," she muttered, more to talk herself down from the crazy ledge she seemed to be on just then.

"Um, the guy you described to me isn't sedate," Alice said, one eyebrow quirked. "His job is crazy cool, and some of the places he went when he was traveling?" Carlisle had told them some funny stories about a club he'd been to when he was in New Orleans.

"Besides, Bella, don't take this the wrong way, but, most of the time, you're not the wild child you want to be," Jasper said.

"That's true. That's why it never works out with the guys you're attracted to. You can say the mildly bad boys are your type, but that hasn't worked out for you as long as I've known you."

"You've only known me for like five months, Alice."

"I've seen the guys you date, and Edward has told us stories." Alice smirked. "Girlfriend, you like this guy."

Bella opened her mouth to deny it, but she couldn't. "Edward. Fuck. What the hell would he say if he heard you guys talking like this? Oh, hell. What do I do?" she moaned into her hands. "And this is crazy. You're both crazy. He doesn't… He couldn't… I mean, I'm...I'm just…" She crossed her arms over her chest and slumped down in her seat. "I think you guys are full of crap. Even if I do like him, you're wrong if you think he feels the same way about me."

"I think you didn't see the way he looked at you," Alice said.

Was it possible?

She thought of the million different scenes over nearly four years of knowing him. His kindness—how he quietly swept her expensive textbooks in with Edward's when he took them shopping before each semester. The man who'd sat down with her and painstakingly reviewed each and every major until they decided, together, on one that opened doors and still made her happy. All things a loving big brother would do.

Or a partner. A man who knew that loving and caring should go hand-in-hand. Not someone who was all heat and flame like James. That had been exciting and dangerous and ultimately destructive. He was no boy like Jacob—a puppy who was just thrilled he had access to her body.

What could a man like Carlisle do with her body?

Bella shuddered, feeling her nipples tighten with the thought. Oh, hell. "Give me back the fucking wool over my eyes. What am I supposed to do with this?"

Alice brightened. "Now that's the fun part."

* * *

 **A/N: Hehehe.**

 **Happy Monday, my ducks. Have a fabulous week.**


	6. Chapter 6

**A/N: Early updated because I'm restless, and I wanna.**

* * *

Seducing the object of your affection was the fun part, Alice said. Fun Bella's ass.

The problem with Alice was that she was a meddler. The problem with Jasper was that he was a charming bastard with an artist's soul. Damn artists. He believed in beauty and love, and he spun fanciful tales about taking risks. With Alice to add the cheer of rah-rah girl power, they were a dangerous combo. They'd made her believe there was no such thing as out of her league.

Which was how Bella found herself in this ridiculous position, about to make a complete and utter ass of herself. "This is such a bad idea," she muttered to herself. For one thing, Edward was going to kill her whether this ended well or badly. Maybe she should have consulted him before she did this, but she'd chafed at the idea of having to ask someone else's permission to make decisions about her love life. Still, there was every possibility she could lose both of them.

Except that she didn't really believe that last part. Edward and Carlisle loved her. They'd both forgive her this severe lapse in judgment if it turned out Alice and Jasper were full of shit. Carlisle would tell her she was like a sister to him, she'd want to die of embarrassment, but she'd survive somehow. On her deathbed, she'd laugh at it.

Bella tried to calm her erratic breaths. She repeated Alice's little pep talk. She was a strong, independent woman. There was no reason she couldn't go out and get what she wanted. She didn't have to wait for any guy to get off his ass and woo her.

Besides that, Bella knew damn well that if she wanted this particular thing, the only way it was going to happen was if she instigated it. Carlisle had told her once that he kept himself under tight control—the result of his heartbreaking upbringing. If he did want her, he'd never let himself act on it.

She'd read this story before. The woman who thought she was too young and silly to be with a man like him. The man who thought he was too old to tie down a woman like her. But fuck that noise on both accounts. She was young, but old enough to know there was no script, no perfect way, no magic recipe to guarantee success or failure in life.

So, she could do this. Whatever happened, it wasn't going to kill her.

Before she could get the gumption up to actually knock, the door came open of its own volition. It wasn't Carlisle who stood there but another man. A handsome, giant of a man in a crisp, black suit.

Startled, Bella took a few steps backward. The man's size made him intimidating, but his grin was disarming. He looked over his shoulder. "Carlisle, I think this chick is here to sell you cookies."

Bella scowled. "I'm not a Girl Scout." She straightened her shoulders, even more self-conscious of her age than she had been a minute before.

The door opened wider, and Carlisle stood there next to a gorgeous blond woman. Was he dating again? He did, of course, but it had been a while that she knew. Bella shrunk back again, her stomach twisting painfully, but she didn't miss that Carlisle's whole face lit up when he saw her. "Bella." His bright expression turned concerned. "What's wrong? Is everything okay?"

"Yeah, um… Everything is fine." The blond was seriously throwing Bella off her game. She had the distinct impression she was being appraised and against a statuesque beauty like her, Bella was never going to come out on top. "I was just in the neighborhood."

That was when she noticed that Carlisle too was wearing a crisp, black suit. Bella hadn't ever seen him in a suit. She had to press her tongue to the roof of her mouth to keep from groaning. This was just plain unfair. There probably wasn't a guy alive that didn't look good in a suit, but damn. Carlisle looked so good, the visual alone could be sued as foreplay.

None of which was making it easier for Bella to think on her feet. "Um." Her throat was dry, which made the words come out scratchy. "I didn't know you were busy. I should have called." She took a step back.

Carlisle shouldered past his friend and grabbed her hand. "No, it's okay." He nodded his head at his guests. "This is Emmett McCarty. He works at my firm, and his wife, Rosalie."

Oh. The blond belonged to gigantor. That pleased Bella a little too much. She had to press her mouth into a thin line to keep from grinning like a fool.

"This is Bella." He let go of her hand, but his fingertips were close enough to brush her. Bella curled her toes. It was unbelievable how her skin tingled as though sensing his nearness.

Emmett's eyebrow arched. "Bella? Wow, wait. Bella is your brother's age?"

Bella glanced at Carlisle in surprise. Emmett had heard of her?

Carlisle cleared his throat. "I thought you had to leave."

Bella bit the inside of her cheek, another smile threatening. A giddy rush went through her, making her want to giggle like a schoolgirl.

Emmett too looked amused, and Rosalie's eyes were on Bella, her glance a little too knowing for Bella's comfort. She ducked her head, wondering if everyone there could read her thoughts so easily. What the hell had changed? Yesterday she was blissfully unaware. Today, she was strangely conscious of every little thing—how his body angled toward hers, how he hadn't stepped away from her personal space—and she couldn't quite keep her reactions off her face.

"Yep. We promised our kids we'd retrieve them at some point today," Emmett said, putting his arm around his wife. "You two play nice."

"It was nice to meet you, Bella," Rosalie said, a smile about her lips that suggested she thought Bella was just adorable.

Bella's cheeks burned. "Yeah, same."

"Give me a minute," Carlisle murmured, ducking his head to speak directly to her.

Nodding, Bella slipped between Emmett and Rosalie to go into the house. Once inside, she could breathe a little better. She scrubbed her hands over her face, once again wondering what the hell she was doing. With a sigh, she ducked around a corner, out of sight of the three in the doorway, and leaned up against the wall in the darkened dining room. She closed her eyes, tilting her head up.

Even this house was intimidating. For the last four years, she'd rented the same shabby apartment. She'd accumulated a few things, but every stick of furniture she owned—most of the me second-hand and worn—could fit in Carlisle's dining room.

Carlisle was an understated man save for two things—his car and his home. He liked fast cars, and as for the house, well, Bella privately thought it was a statement aimed at his father who had told him constantly that he'd never amount to much.

The house, while far from a mansion, was way too big for a single man. Bella had only been here a couple of times, both of them big to-dos. Last June, he'd thrown Edward a twenty-first birthday party the likes of which Bella had only seen on television—a house packed full of all Edward's friends, an open bar, and waiters with trays of fancy party foods.

Bella brushed away thoughts of that night. She'd had too much to drink, and remembered little about the end of the night except Carlisle's arms around her. He led her upstairs, all but carrying her, and laid her down in the guest room. She could still remember the feel of his fingers in her hair, smoothing it away from her face.

Then again, he'd done the same for Edward—gotten his drunk ass safely in bed beside her.

Again, Bella turned over the thought that not only was Carlisle an adult, but he was a successful adult. He'd made it. She hadn't even graduated yet. Sure, she'd have a degree in a few more months, but Carlisle had two degrees and a successful legal career under his belt.

He was rich, powerful, and yeah, she had to face the fact he was desperately out of her league. He was quiet and self-effacing, but that didn't change the reality of the situation.

It wasn't difficult to accept the idea that he was attracted to her, but that didn't mean anything. She was attractive. Not Rosalie attractive, but she was pretty enough to lust after. Maybe that was all it was. She was an itch he wanted to scratch, but he was way too honorable for that.

"Bella?"

Bella sucked in a sharp breath. His voice was close. She could feel him—his heat.

"Are you sure everything's all right?" He tucked her hair back behind one ear.

Slowly, Bella opened her eyes. He was much closer than she'd expected. He leaned with one elbow against the wall not a foot from her; his brilliant, green eyes searching hers. He was beautiful, and yes, he cut a powerful figure. That suit. That face. His kind eyes.

She didn't have any words. She didn't know how to articulate why she'd come here, and what she wanted—just how much she wanted now that she realized how she felt. If she opened her mouth, nothing smooth or suave would come out; she knew this.

Reaching out, she drew her hands down his suit. It felt good, smooth, against her skin.

"Bella?" His brow wrinkled.

Bella fisted the fabric in her hands and pulled him toward her, tilting her head up to catch his lips. It was a quick kiss but firm. Undeniable.

Carlisle gasped, but he didn't pull away. His eyes had gone dark and hectic. His breath was hot on her mouth. There was electricity running under her skin, sparking in the air between them.

Oh, hell. She couldn't take it back. She couldn't unknow what it was like to kiss him, to taste him. If he pulled away now—

He cupped her cheek, tilting her head back up. He kissed her, skimming his thumb along her cheekbone as he took her upper lip between both of his. As the kiss went on, Bella's head spun. She hadn't known until that moment that it was possible to be intoxicated by a kiss. She was drunk. Deliriously and delightfully drunk.

And if he put her to bed this time, she knew without a doubt she'd pull him down with her.

With a gasp, he pulled back, though he kept her in his arms, his hand still against her cheek. "You know how to kiss," she murmured, still drunk and stupefied.

He laughed. It was a breathless sound. He ducked his head, but he didn't kiss her, though she tilted her head up invitingly. He moved his hand so his fingers curled around her chin, and his thumb brushed over her lips. His eyes followed the movement before he looked at her with a surprisingly vulnerable expression. "What is this, Bella?" he whispered.

Fuck. Right. Grown-ups talked about things. And he deserved an explanation. She'd waltzed into his house and drastically changed their dynamic in the space of a heartbeat.

Nerves twisted in her gut. Okay. She wasn't going to be suave or charming or alluring. She'd have to settle for stilted and awkward. She licked her lips, steadying her breath and reminding herself he still hadn't let her go. "I don't know why now, because I think it's been a long time, at least for me. It just happened. Like a switch has been flipped, and the lights are all on." She closed her eyes, giving her head a little shake. Those words hadn't made any sense. With a sigh, she opened her eyes and looked into his again. "I just had to know."

"Know what?"

She bit her bottom lip, searching for the right words. Finding none, she took his hand and pressed it against her heart, letting him feel the rapid beat. "I had to know if you felt this."

For a long, heavy moment, he only stared at her. She gnawed the inside of her cheek, and then soothed it with her tongue, letting her eyes drop down to study the patterns of his fancy tie. "Tell me I didn't just make a huge fool of myself."

He exhaled in a gust, tilting her chin back up. "No. No, you haven't." He took her free hand and pressed it likewise against his chest. His heart was a jackhammer. His eyes searched hers. "I didn't mean to be so quiet. It's just that my switch was flipped so long ago." His Adam's apple bobbed as he swallowed hard, his eyes beginning to roam her face with a look that was part longing and part desire. His voice was husky when he spoke. "And I've spent the last four years trying to convince myself I couldn't want this."

Her lips tugged up at the corners, the wide, goofy smile threatening again. "You can want this," she whispered, splaying both hands wide over his chest beneath his suit jacket, feeling the lines of him. "You can have this. Me."

They stared at each other for one, two, three heavy, charged seconds, and then the whole world changed.

Carlisle leaned in, swallowing every last inch of space between them as he claimed her lips. The hard lines of his body pressed into hers, pinning her back against the wall. These kisses were fevered and hungry, like he was ravenous. She whimpered into his mouth but returned his kisses in kind.

No, it wasn't like starving. It was like she'd been without air for too long, and now she was gasping it in in huge lungfuls. She needed more. She needed him to fill her, to consume her.

And for as calm and measured as Carlisle always was, he was anything but controlled now. Her words had unlocked something in him, and this was a part of him she couldn't have guessed existed. Who'd have known he could kiss like this—hard and demanding and intoxicating, but lacking the utter inelegance she'd experienced from the men she'd kissed before.

He didn't shove his tongue down her throat in some kind of dominant attack. Instead, his tongue parted her lips with a gentle insistence, and when she opened to him, it lapped at hers, caressing.

His hands slid down her body, one at her side and the other cupped around her back. He alternately pulled her up against him and pinned her back against the wall. His unrestrained fervor surprised her—the best kind of surprise—and she moaned, the sound vibrating between them. When he reached around, cupping her ass in his hands and pulling her almost roughly against him, she squeaked.

With a groan, he broke their kiss. "Bella," he whispered, panting and breathless as she was. He groaned again, his hands on either side of her head as he held himself just a little off her. "I didn't mean to go from zero to a hundred like that."

Bella shook her head quickly. Her fingers, curved around the back of his neck, tangled into his thick, soft hair, tugging him back down to her. She could sense the return of calm, controlled Carlisle, and fuck the hell out of that. She wanted to see more of this side of him. She pushed up onto the balls of her feet to kiss him.

"I know you," she murmured against his lips. She kissed him again. "And I trust you." She reached up, circling his wrists and pulling his hands down. She brought them around her, putting them back on her ass. "I'm a big girl, Carlisle. All grown up." She guided his hands into her pockets, watching his eyes darken as he gasped in a breath, finding the familiar foil wrappers she'd stashed there.

Funny. She'd turned beet red when she'd dressed to come here today. She'd put on the jeans that hugged her ass just right, and a crimson, fitted shirt. Though she'd been alone in the room at the time, she'd almost choked with embarrassment when she put the condoms in her back pocket, checking five times to make sure no one could see the imprint of them against the black fabric.

Now, though, she wasn't embarrassed. She wasn't ashamed of what she wanted.

And oh holy god, did she want it. Want him. He wasn't a stranger, and this wasn't as sudden as it felt.

"I know who you are. I know what I want." She let her lips brush his ear. "And you don't have to go slow."

His eyes locked with hers for several tense seconds. "You want this?" he asked.

She almost moaned at the feral look in his eyes. He wanted her. She could see it, though she could see the tenderness there too. "I want you," she whispered.

With a groan, he gave in. He brought her up against him, squeezing her ass as he kissed her. For minutes he kept her tight against him, his hands roaming up and down her back as his mouth moved with hers.

"You know, this was the first thing I noticed about you." He nipped at the side of her mouth, caressing her ass over her clothes now. "You were standing there, with your back to us, your hands on your hips and this." He squeezed her again.

She laughed, turning her head to catch his lips. "You're an ass man. That's good information to have."

He pinned her against the wall with a thrust of his hips. She gasped, feeling him hard against her. Lust burned brighter in her, and her nipples pebbled at the sensation.

"You have no idea what this is doing to me." His voice was a rumble. "To have you come in here like one of my fantasies of you come to life." His eyes had found the bumps of her nipples, straining as they were against her shirt, and he brought a thumb up to press over one, circling. "I've thought about these too. You have such perfect, perky little tits."

Bella felt the walls of her pussy actually contract. Oh, fuck her running. Was he going to talk dirty to her? Because she wasn't sure if she could get through that without combusting. "What have you…" She pressed her lips together, muffling a moan as he traced the outline of her breasts, thumb still brushing over her sensitive tips. "What have you thought about?"

"How you taste." His eyes flicked up to hers, and the devilish smirk playing at his lips stunned her stupid. "Did you mean what you said about not needing to go slow?"

"Oh, hell yes." She licked her well-kissed lips, thrilling in anticipation.

His hands dropped to the hem of her shirt, and he pulled it up and over her head. Now it was him who moaned. He drew his fingers along Bella's one concession to Alice's planning—the prettiest bra and panty set she'd ever owned in her life. It was a dark blue lace and mesh number that managed to scare up some cleavage from god only knew where. "Is this for me, Bella?" The fingertips of his other hand brushed along her stomach, making it contract under his feather-touch.

She wanted to snap something snarky—a quip about how she didn't dress sexy for him; she did it for herself, but that was a bunch of bullshit. "S'all for you," she said, highly distracted. He'd ducked his head to kiss her neck with a light, wet suction.

"Hmmm." His hum vibrated on her skin as he trailed kissed down along her collarbone. "If you have matching panties on…"

She tilted her head back against the wall, drawing her fingers along his shoulders. She bit her bottom lip as his fingertips teased the line of her jeans. "I guess you'll— Ah." She squeezed her eyes shut as his mouth found her breast and he nipped lightly through the fabric of her bra. Why was that so much fucking sexier than if he'd yanked the damn thing off like she'd imagined he might? She swallowed hard. "I guess you'll have to find out for yourself."

He hummed again, and when his questing fingers found the button of her jeans he undid it, tugging her nipple between his teeth. He didn't bother pulling the zipper of her jeans down. Instead, he put his hand down her pants, exploring. It didn't take him long to find what he was looking for—the ridiculously tiny panties in matching mesh and lace.

With a growl—a fucking growl that rumbled low in his chest—he pulled back. "Christ, Bella." He took her face in his hands and kissed her. There was nothing proper or soft about this kiss. It was gratifying. He had her tangled up in knots and twitterpated. It was good to see that maybe they were on the same page.

Bella tugged at the edges of his suit jacket. He shrugged out of it, and then his lips were gone from hers. When she opened her eyes, she found his on hers, dark and wild with desire. His fingers hooked into the waistline of her jeans and, still looking her in the eyes, he pulled them down her hips.

She couldn't help it. She was self-conscious, her heartbeat going a mile a minute again as her jeans puddled at her feet. Feeling foolish and uncoordinated, she kicked them and her shoes off and away.

"Bella." Carlisle spoke her name with reverence now, and when she finally looked up, she found his eyes traveling up and down her body. She shivered as though his gaze had touched her physically. How was it possible for someone to undress her with his eyes when she was already undressed? "My wildest fantasy couldn't have done you justice." He rested one hand at her side, the other fingering the design of the panties. "You're perfect."

With those words and the look in his eyes, Bella's nerves settled.

But then, his eyes locked on hers, he dropped to his knees.

"Carlisle, what—"

"I told you." He hooked his fingers in her pretty new panties and slowly, so slowly, drew them down, uncovering her sex. "I want to know how you taste."

To that end, he wasted no time. Before Bella could process his words, he'd hitched one of her legs up over his shoulder. She gave a little cry, grasping at him to steady herself. He didn't give her time to adjust but used two fingers to part her pussy. He ducked his head between her legs, taking her clit between his lips.

"Jesus. Oh, hell." Bella had no context for this. This was some kind of porn-star shit. Her hand scrambled against the wall, as though it would somehow grow handles to hold onto. Her fingers of her other hand tangled in his hair.

He was good at this. He lapped and sucked at her clit, skimming his teeth along the sensitive nub. His fingers explored and teased along her slit before finally entering her. It was no time at all before she forgot to be self-conscious about her moans and the way her hips bucked up to meet him.

She screamed when she came. That had never happened before.

He set her foot down and stood, his arm coming around her to steady her. She needed it. Her legs were jelly. He had such a beautiful smirk on his face as he caressed her flushed cheeks. "Delicious, in case you were wondering."

She blinked. "What?" Her brain was too blissed out to process words yet.

"Your taste." His hand to the small of her back, he pulled her up against him. She tilted her head up, and he needed no more invitation. He kissed her, and she could feel he was hard, straining against his pants.

But before she could summon the words to address that situation—she wasn't sure if she had enough brain cells left after that orgasm—his kiss slowed. The air around them changed again. It was a serious kiss, stunning in its intensity. Bella found herself shaky all over again, but not for far different reasons.

There in his arms, as she returned his sensual, heated kisses, knowledge washed over her. The strength of what she felt overwhelmed her, and a truth she hadn't let herself acknowledged rang clear in her head.

She loved him. This wasn't just about want, though yes, lust clouded her vision, making it so difficult to think around desire. This whole thing was so intense because she was in love with him.

When he broke their kiss, pulling back with her face between his hands to look at her, her heart raced. Soared. She could see it there in his eyes, everything she felt—lust, need, uncertainty, fear, and love. It wasn't just attraction. Not for her, and not for him.

He kissed her again, more chaste now. Wordlessly, he swept her up into his arms, his mouth still on hers as he carried her up the stairs.

* * *

 **A/N: For those of you who read and remember the o/s, this is where we start to deviate. The next chap should be in Carlisle's PoV. I can't promise it will be up in two days coz, yeah...additional info! But I'll try.**


	7. Chapter 7

**A/N: Round of applause for Betsy who always has to beta sexy non-canon chapters through her fingers. Love you!**

* * *

There was no way this was really happening.

Over the course of his education and career, Carlisle had had cause to do the occasional drug. Never anything extreme, but once or twice in his life, he'd done, among other things, the odd hallucinogen. And, after all, he'd gone to court today. He'd won a big settlement. Maybe his thankful client had slipped him a little something to help him celebrate.

What else could explain the miracle in his arms? The beautiful woman he'd ached for—without hope or a prayer of a chance—was…

Laughing at him?

She bit her lip to stifle a giggle, and tightened her hold on his neck. He stopped, only halfway up the stairs. "What?"

"This is making me nervous. Guys don't carry women up a flight of stairs anywhere but in the movies. You know why? Because they'll hurt themselves."

"Is that right?" He set her on her feet on the stairs and arched an eyebrow. "Are you calling me old?"

"No!" She pressed her lips together, her eyes dancing. She crossed her arms over her bare chest, as though she'd just remembered her nudity. "I mean, the older you get, the more you have to worry about— Ah!"

He'd swept her over his shoulder, ass in the air, delighting in her shriek of laughter. He sucked in a breath when she took advantage of her position to pepper his ass with sharp smacks. "This is not gentlemanly behavior!"

They'd reached his room now, and he tossed her on his over-large bed. Crawling over her, he kissed her hard, swallowing her gasp. When she moaned into his mouth he pulled back, unable to stop the grin that spread. "I never claimed to be a gentleman."

To that end, he leaned down, taking her lips again. He brushed her lips first, just a slight flutter, teasing. She tilted her head up, trying to catch him. She huffed, her hot breath tickling his skin. Her fingers fumbled with his tie, loosening it and sliding it off. He kissed her in full, dipping his tongue to taste her.

She tickled his tummy as she moved her hand up his torso, and he sucked in a breath. His kiss grew harder, more fervent, but he broke it with a shaky exhale when she started to unbutton his shirt. He squeezed his eyes tightly shut, breathing in through his nose. It was a bad idea. All he inhaled was the scent of her.

His head swam. She was better than any drug. His cock strained against the confines of his pants. What he wanted more than almost anything was to take his weight off his arms and pin her beneath him. To feel her body wiggling against his.

Her fingertips brushed his chest as she undid another button and Carlisle shuddered, pulling away from her entirely. He chuckled and stole one more kiss before he straightened up, half standing with his feet on the floor but his knees resting on the bed between her legs.

"Hey, come back," she said, sitting up and reaching for his buttons.

He caught her hands by the wrists, making her gasp. He licked his lips, looking at her, all flushed cheeks and hectic hair. Clearly, she had no idea just how erotic he found her touch. It wouldn't take much at all to embarrass himself at this point and that…

No. He wasn't ready for that just yet.

Taking Bella by the shoulders, he gently but insistently pushed her back down on the bed.

It was incredibly charming how she, the same woman who had waltzed into his home and seduced him apropos of nothing, turned suddenly shy. Her cheeks turned deep red, and she crossed her arms over her chest. "You're wearing too many clothes, and I'm wearing hardly anything."

"Hmm. I'd noticed." He brushed the pad of his finger along her cheek, thumbing over her full lips.

"You think that's fair?" She gave him a pointed look, her lower lip jutting out just the slightest bit.

He took her hands and drew her arms away from her chest, pinning them to the bed on either side of her. He let his eyes travel down slowly, so slowly. "I think I've wanted to do this for four years." He let go of her, fingering the mesh and lace of her bra—the bra she'd worn specifically for him. The outline of her nipple strained against the fabric. "I have a lot of curiosity to satisfy." He hooked a finger under the fabric and dragged it up, sweeping his tongue over his lip as her tits sprang free.

Dusky pink nipples set against darker areolas. He'd thrown a pool party once—the first time she'd been at his house. He'd spent an incredible amount of time wondering exactly what her breasts looked like underneath her flirty bikini top.

"Have you really been thinking about this for years?" she asked in a throaty whisper.

His eyes flicked up to hers. That threw a sprinkle of cold water over him. Not nearly enough that he'd pull away. Quite the contrary, he'd begun to trace the shape of her breasts as he considered how to answer her without sounding like a total pervert. He offered her a small, abashed smile. "You mean did I, a thirty-four-year-old man, start lusting after a barely legal teen girl?"

Her eyes popped, and she shook her head, making her tits wiggle quite alluringly. "That's not what I meant," she said. "I—"

He rested a finger over her lips, quieting her. "It's a fair question."

"But I didn't mean it," she insisted. "It's just...I mean, you date women more like you. Successful adults."

He shook his head ruefully, watching her nipples pebble under his touch. "Of course the first thing I noticed was how beautiful you are." A flicker of disbelief flashed through her eyes, and that bothered him. "I have eyes, and you are beautiful, Bella, but that's not why I want this—you—so much."

A smile tugged at the corners of his mouth as he remembered. "It was the million different things about you. You're strong and kind. Funny and too serious."

Taking her hands, he pulled her up and sat on the bed next to her, gathering her close. He cupped her face, caressing her cheek. "I could have ignored my physical attraction easily enough. Not for nothing, but I see a fair number of barely legal teenage girls in my line of business. I have no trouble not giving them a second thought other than to recognize that they're easy on the eyes. You were different." He tilted his head, kissing her sweetly. "You were you."

He kissed her once. "I admire you." He kissed her again. "I adore you." He kissed her one more time. "And you're also sexy as hell."

She huffed out an incredulous laugh on a gust, as though she'd been holding her breath. She cupped her hand around the back of his neck, bringing her head closer to hers. She kissed him, hard and fast and full of molten heat. When she pulled back, a bare inch, they were both breathless. "Take me now," she whispered against his lips. "I promise we'll have time for slow later."

He groaned, taking her face in his hands and pressing his tongue past her lips as he kissed her. The meaning behind those words struck him. Time. They had time for more.

For everything?

That was a question he couldn't answer right then. He felt as though his blood was filled with fire, all of it draining out of his higher functioning brain, headed south. He wasn't terribly good with these kinds of words; tender words. His very bones screamed for him to show her. To surround her and let his body tell her all the secrets he'd kept under such tight control all these years.

He loved her. He had for so long. He wanted her, and he could have her.

With a quick movement, he had her bra undone. He had to smile at the little shimmy she did to slip out of it quickly before her fingers were back at his buttons. He pushed her back down, mouth on hers like he could survive on her kisses alone. He propped himself up on one arm, running his fingers from her collarbone down to her belly button. Her ab muscles flexed under his hand, and she whimpered into his mouth.

Straightening up, he shrugged quickly out of his dress shirt and pulled his undershirt up and off. He was startled when she gasped and whispered a startled, "Oh."

He cocked his head, staring down at her. Her fingers brushed over the tattoos at his sides, and her eyes slid upward, taking in the ones higher up on his shoulders. "Oh, man," she murmured.

His lip twitched. "What?"

"I…" She let out a shaky laugh, raising her eyes to his. "I mean, you're so...I don't know. Straight-laced."

"Bella, I work with rock stars." He leaned down and ran the tip of his nose at her neck. "You always had a thing for a bit of a bad boy, didn't you?" He didn't really have to ask. He'd seethed with jealousy each and every time her head had been turned by a long-haired asshole with tattoos and a motorcycle. He knew it was a phase, a folly of her youth and a belated rebellion from the responsibility that had been thrust on her as a child. She was too smart to fall for any of them in the long run, but that didn't mean he'd liked seeing it. He took her earlobe between his teeth, nibbling lightly. "There are things you don't know about me."

True, he spent most of his working life behind a desk, but there were a lot of perks to his job. If she wanted a touch of excitement now and again, he could give it to her. Backstage passes, after-parties, Hollywood premieres. She could have it all.

She had no idea how long he'd wanted to give her all of this, all of him.

Bella whimpered again, turning her head to catch his lips. Her fingers skimmed along his body, down, down.

And then she cupped him between his legs, where he was hard for her. Now it was him who whimpered.

Right. They were both getting impatient.

He got to his feet, standing at the foot of the bed. Locking his hands around her ankles, he pulled her so her ass was on the edge. He pushed her legs apart and came to stand between them, loving the little noises she made and the way her eyes had gone lust-dark.

Earlier, he'd transferred the condoms she'd had tucked in her back pockets—Christ, that little move had driven him straight out of his mind—into his. He fished them out now, and tossed all but one packet to the side. He unbuckled his pants and slid them down along with his underwear, all the while watching Bella watch him.

Her mouth dropped open when his cock finally sprang free. That was gratifying. It also put ideas in his head about what it would be like to be enveloped in her hot, wet mouth. He had to swallow a groan as her eyes traveled the length of him. Fuck, she didn't even need to touch him.

A lump had risen in his throat, a knot of desire and he found he couldn't speak around it. He rolled the condom on his cock, marveling at the look in her eyes that told him she thought he was beautiful.

Then, her eyes met his again, and the feeling that rose in him was so big, it consumed everything else. He'd known he'd loved her for a long time. Such a wretched, painful thing when he had to keep what he felt for her wrapped up tight and gagged into silence. Now, it was free. He was free to love her.

He pressed the head of his cock to her slick folds, holding his breath and savoring the moment. She was a vision, her hair spread haphazardly over his comforter and her eyes, so intense and trusting, on his. Her hand curled around his bicep, and he pushed inside her for the first time, exhaling in a gust because he'd never imagined anything could feel so good, so much like pieces he didn't even know were missing clicked into place.

Her back arched up off the bed, and she panted as he stretched her, filled her. They both moaned, stilling for a moment of completeness before they began to move together.

She brought her legs up, crossing them behind his back, taking him in deep. He pulled out and slid in, his rhythm picking up quickly because damn, hadn't this night been all foreplay? Hell, the last four years had been a study in prolonged desire. He wasn't going to last long.

But that was fine. They had time now. So much time, and he could prove his stamina later.

As his pace quickened to hard and fast, he ran his hands up her body. He squeezed her nipples between his fingers so she gasped and did that back-arch thing again. He liked that. Liked her low, wanton moan as she threw her head back on his bed.

He cupped her cheek, wanting too to show her all the tenderness he felt for her. There would be time for that too. Time to make sweet love to her, to take her with slow, unhurried movements while they were wrapped in each other's arms.

He'd had a lot of time to fantasize.

When he thrust in her particularly deep, she cried out. This time, when her back arched, she came up straight and hung on, wrapping her arms around him. Her lips came for his, attacking, and she gasped out his name in a raspy chant.

Holy hell, he'd never been creative enough to imagine exactly this. He splayed his hands over her back, holding onto her. There was nothing besides the feel of her, the heat of them together, the sound of the little noises she made at the back of her throat and the slap of their skin.

He kissed her with desperation as everything in him began to coil. He grunted into her mouth and moaned. His legs trembled, not with weakness but the power of the orgasm building in him. His knees buckled, and he fell forward with his arms braced on the mattress and his feet still on the floor. If anything, he only sank deeper in her. She drew her legs further up his back. Her fingers tangled and tugged at his hair.

When he came, it was with a prolonged, low guttural moan—the sound feral and thoroughly debauched. His hips jerked, totally out of his control, and his whole world went white, then black.

If not for the sound of her ragged pants near his ear, he'd have sworn he'd passed out. As it was, he thought his heart had skipped a few beats.

But he was very much alive. There was something so beautiful about the way they were connected. His drained, softening cock was still nestled safe inside her. Her thundering heartbeat pounded against his. Her super-heated, slick body felt so good up against the line of him.

Shit, he had to be squishing her. His body was so boneless, it was heavy even to him. He was lying face down on the comforter, his head next to hers.

With a groan, he rolled to the side. If he'd had any energy, he'd have laughed at the fact his hands trembled as he worked to slip the condom off. When he'd taken care of it he threw an arm over his eyes, smiling so broadly his cheeks ached.

There was a creak as Bella rolled toward him. Her soft, small hand came to rest over his chest, tracing the tattoo on his upper arm. "Was it good for you?" she asked, teasing.

He snorted and moved his arm up over his head so he could look at her. What a breathtaking sight. So this was what it looked like—what he'd wanted for four years. To see her like this, freshly fucked and satisfied, but with that tenderness in his eyes he'd so longed for. With his other hand, he smoothed her hair back and ran the back of his knuckles over her cheek. "Sweetheart, you have no idea."

Her answering smile was shy, and she ducked her head. "Good. I wondered… I wanted to be good for you."

It was understandable for her to be a little self-conscious about the difference in experience between them. He was too, though for much different reasons, he expected. But again, there was time to talk all that out.

He cupped his hand around the back of her head. "Come here," he murmured.

She came willingly and eagerly. He kissed her, sweet and slow. Together, they inched up the bed. When she shivered, their bodies cooled enough now so that the air on their bare skin chilled them, he pulled the edge of the comforter over them.

Worth the wait, he thought as he kissed her. Worth every agonizing moment.

* * *

 **A/N: Sooooooooooooooooooooo.**


	8. Chapter 8

**A/N: Hello, friends! Let's see what our kids are up to.**

* * *

Pulled from sleep by the delicious thrill of skin sliding against skin, Carlisle only barely caught the groan before it escaped. He realized quickly what was happening. That was Bella touching him oh so carefully. He could feel the movement of the bed as she shifted. She was tracing the lines of his shoulders, and he was suddenly glad he worked out.

It was strange how self-conscious he was. He was desperate to roll over, and ask her what she was thinking as she touched him. But at the same time, he was enjoying it too much. It took all his concentration to keep from shivering, to keep his breathing steady and even.

Her questing fingers brushed over a spot low on his back, tracing the shapes he almost never saw but knew were there. And though he would have gladly played possum if it meant he could enjoy the thrill of her touch for a while longer, he sucked in a breath before he could help it.

Her hands stilled, and Carlisle sighed, knowing the gig was up. He rolled his head to one side and opened his eyes, finding a sight that made him both extraordinarily happy and, well, horny. How could he help it? He had yet to believe this was all real, that his precious Bella was there in his bed, kneeling at his side, looking down on him. She was gorgeous, her hair rumpled from sleep, all hectic and shiny. The shy but tender look on her face as their eyes met, coupled with the light red flush of her cheeks, gave her a heartbreaking innocence. In stark contrast, she was also quite obviously still nude, her body only hidden from him by the sheet she'd wrapped around her torso.

She bit her lower lip, ducking her head, but her fingers resumed tracing the tattoo on his lower back. "You made yourself a human cello." Her voice was all gravel and sex, and he was glad he was lying face down so his cock twitched only against the cool sheets.

The tattoo were two f-holes, the sound holes on cellos and violins, one on either side of his lower back. "Works better on a woman," he mused. The flair of a woman's hips pulled off the idea better than his own more straight shape.

Though there was no tattoo at the center of his back, where the strings of the instrument would be, Bella strummed her fingers there anyway. "Why did you get it?"

Carlisle rolled onto his back and raised a hand to cup her pretty face. He stroked a thumb over her cheek, considering for a few long moments. She had no idea how intimately she'd touched him when she put her hands on his tattoos. He'd never really had the words. That was why he marked what he felt on his body.

"Music is important to me." This was a severe understatement. "It's why I try to protect the people who bring such beautiful things into our lives. Music with lyrics lend themselves to tattoos more easily. The few I have were all hard decisions." He gestured to the smattering of tattoos on his front, smirking when her eyes dropped down to the one low on his waist, below his bellybutton.

He twirled a lock of her hair around his finger. "But as much as I like lyrics, there's something about the power of music. A good piece of music can really hit you." His eyes flicked up to hers, that odd, self-conscious feeling rising in his gut. She didn't look like she thought he was crazy, though. Her attention was rapt. "It's the music you feel in your blood. Especially live. I suppose that's what I was going for. Something about the music inside."

"Wow," she murmured, so softly he wasn't sure he'd heard right.

"Wow?"

He couldn't read the look that came over her then. It sent a rush of warmth through him, and the tiny smile at the corner of her mouth tugged at his heart. Oh, that tug. The one he'd felt so many times over the last four years, whenever he realized for the millionth time that he simply adored her.

"I was just thinking. If we're, um…" Her expression got shy again, and she ducked her head, stammering. "If we're a...We're a…"

That was when Carlisle realized where his own self-conscious streak had come from, and he felt a little bit like a prick. What was he, some horny frat boy? He'd told her a little of what he felt for her, but only in terms of wanting her. To be fair, she had come to his home specifically to seduce him. She'd promised him "time" but hadn't specified if her attraction to him was only physical.

Sitting up, Carlisle smoothed her hair back. "If we're an us?" he asked softly. "Is that what you're trying to say?"

She pressed her lips together in a thin line and blushed scarlet, but she nodded.

Crooking a finger under her chin, he looked directly into her eyes. His heart seemed lodged in his throat where it was threatening to choke him with every beat. He'd kept this secret for so long, the words were incredibly difficult, even if he was ninety-eight percent certain he was about to get everything.

He licked his lips, searching her eyes and finding such heartbreaking vulnerability there, he told himself he could at least be as brave as she was. "You think the only fantasies I have are ones where you're naked?" He smiled at the way her eyebrows shot up, and that eased some of the tension in his throat. "Not that being able to show you what I feel for you isn't incredible, but I want all of you." He raised her chin so she couldn't help but look at him. "I love you, Bella." He had to laugh. Rather than being terrifying, saying the words was liberating.

Well, it was also terrifying.

He took her face between his hands. "I love you, and if you want me, I'm yours."

A beautiful smile tugged at the corners of her mouth. She fought it for a moment, but then she beamed, a little titter escaping before she smothered it against his lips. "Now you've done it. You're stuck with me."

"Oh no," he deadpanned, returning her kisses. He wrapped his arms around her, bringing her down onto the bed with him. "What can I say? I'm good at making bad decisions."

She scoffed, still kissing him. "Yes, well. What I was going to say before was that I've been thinking." She lifted her head, her smile gentle as she looked down on him. "I'm going to love learning all the things about you I don't know."

"The not so straight-laced things?" he teased, remembering her reaction to finding out he had tattoos.

She leaned in, brushing the tip of her nose against his. "Everything. I want everything." And she kissed him. A lingering kiss, long and slow and heated.

Carlisle faced a conundrum then. He thought he would gladly spend the rest of his life kissing her just like this. This was what he felt for her. Fire and sweetness with a dash of teasing. That was what she was doing with her tongue—teasing him, slipping the tip of it between his lips and pulling back.

But she was also still naked. The sheet had fallen away, and he could feel her—all of her—pressing up against his skin. He'd had plans to wake up before her, make her breakfast in bed. The minx. Now, all his plans were X-rated, and she was the only thing on the menu.

Before he could tell her as much, a grating vibration startled them both right out of the delicious bubble they'd been in. Bella sat straight up on her knees—a beautiful sight because, hello, perky tits. The pinched look on her face as she glared at her phone on the nightstand got his attention. "What is it?"

She sighed, running a hand through her rumpled hair, still staring at her phone as though it was going to explode. "I guarantee that's your brother texting me for the millionth time."

That had the effect of a bucket of cold water thrown over his head. "Oh, my brother."

"He figured out I never came home last night." She shook her head. "My dad never asked so many questions. He's trying to play it off like he's just being the girlfriend looking for gossip, but he's pretty damn obvious."

Carlisle hid a grimace behind his palm. He and Edward had reminded themselves more than once that Bella was a grown woman who could and would make her own decisions about whom she dated. It wasn't as though the boys—men—she picked were horrible people. James had been a little scary, but mostly, they were just obnoxious. She deserved better, that was all.

Thing was, Carlisle wasn't altogether certain Edward would consider him in the better category. A few times, especially over the last year or so, when Carlisle thought he'd go crazy if he couldn't tell Bella how he felt, he talked himself out of it by thinking of what his brother would say.

They were in two very different places in their lives. It couldn't end well, and then what? Edward might lose his best friend.

There was a terrifying thought. Starting something with her meant that it could end badly, and then she'd be gone from his life.

"Have you told him?" Carlisle asked, pleased when his voice remained steady despite his nerves. Bella told Edward everything. Had she told him when she realized she was attracted to Carlisle? When her switch had been flipped, so to speak.

Bella grabbed at her phone and lay beside him, tucking herself against his side. "I couldn't tell him. I wanted to. That's why he's getting kinda pissy. A guy so much as flirts with me, and I talk to him about it, so he's a little miffed at my sudden disappearance." She groaned. "He's going to be so mad."

Carlisle's heartbeat picked up again. "He is?" He'd been trying to figure out how Edward would react. It was awkward. Awkward defined his relationship with his brother in a lot of ways. He'd always felt more fatherly toward him if anything, especially after having raised him on his own for a few years. So, yeah. The idea of a father dating his son's best friend might raise some conflicting feelings, but anger?

"He's going to flip when he hears I let Alice talk me through this. He thinks she gives crappy dating advice."

"Oh." Carlisle had to press his tongue to the roof of his mouth to keep from laughing. "Alice."

"Yeah." Bella looked up from her phone and grinned at him. "She's the one who convinced me to buy that panty and bra set." She rolled her eyes. "Believe me, it was a compromise."

Carlisle groaned, his cock stirring at the memory. He brushed his fingers over the skin of her belly. "Not that I needed convincing, but that was one of the sexiest things I've ever seen in my life." The idea still made him crazy. That she'd planned to seduce him. Had dressed up just for him. "I had wondered. I didn't think you were the sexy underthings type."

Bella rolled onto her side so she was half draped over him. She rested her chin on his chest. "The other guys weren't worth it."

His heart seemed to expand so much it ached. He smiled, caressing her cheek and running a fingertip around the shell of her ear.

Again, before he could speak, her phone vibrated. They both made faces. Bella rested her head on his chest, reaching for it. "So, I guess we should talk about how to tell him."

Carlisle considered this as he ran his hand up and down her back. After a moment, he snorted. "How do you feel about the ripping off the bandaid method?"

"You just want me to text him the truth?"

"No. That's not nearly traumatizing enough." He took the phone from her hand and flipped until he found the camera icon. He flipped that to selfie-mode and held it aloft.

Bella cackled. "You're evil." But she was already pulling the sheet up again so it covered her body except for her bare shoulder. She sucked in a breath. "Damn. We're really pretty."

He grinned. He'd been thinking the same thing. They looked good like this, with her tucked up under his chin, both of them mussed and glowing. They looked good together. "So, yes?"

"Do it."

Carlisle snapped the picture. Bella took her phone back and sent the text. As soon as she did, she made an adorable little squeaking noise and hid her face against his skin as she chortled. "I can see his face in my head. I wish I had a camera."

Not five seconds later, her phone rang. By then, they were both chortling so hard, she only barely got to the phone on time. She had to clear her throat before she put the phone to her ear. "Hey, Edward. What's up?"

Carlisle could hear his brother's response clearly. "What. The. Fuck?!"

* * *

 **A/N: Mina says I have to do a mini outtake of Edward's reaction. Heheh**


	9. Chapter 9

**A/N: Stuck in traffic one hour into a road trip. Welp! Happy Friday to you.**

* * *

 ** _ **~Edward~**_**

"Your brother has the hots for your roommate. You know that, right?" Benjamin had said the first time he met Carlisle, about three weeks after they'd started dating.

Edward's response at the time had been succinct. "Okay, two things. First, I'm pretty sure that mentioning my brother while I'm on your lap, grinding on your dick, is a major party foul."

Benjamin flashed him that cheeky grin that did wonderful things to his body. "It was a slow grind."

"Secondly, you're so full of shit." And with that, Edward ended the argument with the cunning use of his tongue.

Over the next year and a half, every once in awhile, Benjamin tried to convince Edward that Carlisle had it bad for Bella. Edward had a hard time thinking about Carlisle having it bad for anyone.

"Come on. You've really never thought about it?" Benjamin poked him in the side, teasing.

"He's my brother. I don't talk with him like that."

Benjamin arched an eyebrow, looking distinctly unimpressed. "You're lying to me, _habeeby_. I saw your phone that night."

Edward raised his head. "Wait. What phone?"

"You like me now, so I suppose I can tell you." Benjamin looked somewhat sheepish. "I couldn't read you at all. I couldn't tell how our date was going, and I really liked you. So when you went to the restroom, I snuck a peek at your phone." He wagged a finger in Edward's face. "You were texting your brother about me."

"Oh, fuck." Edward covered his face with his hands. He'd been proud of himself, being outwardly calm. Aloof even while he texted Carlisle messages that could have come out of a swooning teenager's diary.

Benjamin chuckled, threading their fingers together. "The point is he didn't seem to mind hearing those kinds of things from his brother. Therefore, you should be able to talk about whether or not he wants to bone someone."

"Gah. Whatever. He can bone whomever he wants, but he doesn't want to bone Bella." Edward made a face. "Look, Carlisle is… Well, for me, he's more like my dad than my actual piece of crap dad. So we're more than brothers. He's my friend too, and he's Bella's friend. We're close. I love Bella, so he loves Bella. That's all it is."

"Uh huh. I'll buy that Carlisle loves Bella." Benjamin rubbed his chin thoughtfully. "I can't tell if she loves him though."

Edward rolled his eyes. He cupped his hand around the back of his boyfriend's neck, pulling him down and effectively ending the conversation.

~0~

"I have good news."

Edward had been tracing the line of Benjamin's arm, playing notes against his skin. He tapped his fingertips along the base of his upturned palm, composing music in his head that might put sound to the way he felt about this man. "Good news?" he asked absently.

"The love your brother has for Bella isn't unrequited after all."

Edward stopped tapping and lifted his head. He sighed, reminding himself that Benjamin knew he could get a rise out of him. "What are you talking about now?" he asked, resigned. It was best to let Benjamin get it out of his system.

His boyfriend pointed into the kitchen where Carlisle and Bella sat across from each other at the small table. "She's playing footsie with him. See?"

Edward frowned. Then, he scoffed. "That's not footsy. She's poking his leg with her toe. They're probably arguing over some book." They were grinning at each other in that way people did when they argued playfully, razzing each other.

Benjamin only smiled and ruffled his hair. "You're adorable, _ya gameel_. I'm going to take you to Egypt with me when I visit. You're already queen of de-nile."

~0~

Then came the day when Edward figured out Bella had never come home. Actually, he hadn't realized she was out in the first place, but he and Benjamin had been highly distracted when they stumbled in, shushing each other with passionate kisses.

He furrowed his brow, increasingly more confused as he exchanged texts with Bella. "She's being so weird. I don't understand why she didn't talk to me about this."

"Funnily enough, she might have thought she was a grown woman who can do whatever she wants without your permission." Benjamin crossed his arms behind his head, gazing up at Edward, who was sitting up in bed, with a serene expression.

"Of course she can do whatever she wants." Edward frowned at his boyfriend. "I'm not trying to control her. It's just out of character. She always tells me when she has a date."

"So maybe she went home with someone she just met." Benjamin laughed. "Don't look so scandalized. There's nothing wrong with a woman having a healthy sexual appetite."

Edward made an exasperated noise. "I wouldn't care if she hooked up with a different guy every day. But she never has before." He shook his head. "Anyway, all I'm saying is she could have shot off a text if she was going to be gone all night. Then, I wouldn't have worried."

"Ah, that's true. And I would have appreciated the heads up." Benjamin smirked, his eyes sparkling with heated mischief. "If I'd have known she was gone, I would have let you scream last night. You make such beautiful noises for me."

Edward flushed hot. He bit his bottom lip to stifle a moan. It had been so good last night, and Benjamin had clamped his hand hard over Edward's mouth to keep him quiet. With a groan, he lay back down in bed, taking Benjamin's face in his hands and kissing him voraciously. If his boyfriend had been trying to distract him from whatever was going on with Bella, it was working.

Then again, maybe it wasn't working as well as Benjamin wanted. Just as he took Edward's leg and hitched it up around his waist, the phone chimed again. "Mmph," Edward said into Benjamin's mouth. With a sigh, he pushed him away and lunged for his phone.

"Oh, ignore it. Leave Bella alone and come back here."

"Give me just one… Ahnghuh!" The noise Edward made when he saw what was waiting for him on the phone wasn't anything resembling human. He hurtled his phone away from him and tried to stand, neglecting to remember that he was in bed. His feet tangled in the sheets, and he ended up in a heap on the floor, thrashing as he tried to free himself from the blankets that had fallen with him.

" _Habeeby_ _!_ Edward, are you okay?"

"No! I'm not okay. There's nothing about this that's okay," Edward sputtered, his brain not firing on all cylinders. He was normally eloquent enough. His brain was broken.

But, apparently, Benjamin, having seen with his own eyes that Edward was physically fine, had gone for the phone. He had it in his hand, and when he saw what Edward had seen, his expression went from concerned to ecstatic. "Oh." He laughed. "Oh, I see."

"You, see? You see?" Edward got to his knees and lunged across the bed, plucking his phone from Benjamin's hands. He looked at the picture again, sure he had to have seen wrong. He hadn't. "Holy fuck."

He dialed without thinking, and when Bella answered the phone so casually, he started to sputter. His brain just hadn't caught up yet. "You...I don't… What are you…"

"For fuck's sake." Benjamin reached over and took the phone from his hand, putting it to his ear. "Bella, that was a cruel thing to do. I really think Edward's heart might have stopped."

Edward could hear Bella and Carlisle both laughing their asses off. He crossed his arms and harrumphed. Benjamin ruffled his hair and spoke into the phone again. "Why don't you get some clothes on if you can manage."

"Gah." Edward shuddered as it sunk in that Bella and Carlisle had been naked under the blankets. Surely, Carlisle had pajama pants on at least. And Bella… "Bleh."

Benjamin was grinning at him. "I'll make us all breakfast if you bring the Starbucks. We're going to need a lot of coffee," he said to Bella.

She must have agreed because he hung up then and reached for Edward. "Come here, my beautiful drama queen."

Edward grumbled again but let Benjamin pull him into his arms. He closed his eyes as his boyfriend kissed the side of his head and stroked his fingers through his hair making comforting shushing noises. "This is what you wanted for them, isn't it? For them to find good people who will take care of them the way you take care of me." Benjamin kissed his forehead. "And I take care of you. I think it's awesome they found that with each other. They're good together, Edward. They both deserve something so good."

"I know that," Edward said with a sigh. "It's just…"

"Shhh." Crooking a finger under his chin, Benjamin tilted Edward's head up and kissed him sweetly.

 _ **~0~**_

About an hour later, Benjamin was in the kitchen cooking breakfast, and Edward was "helping." If by helping one meant wandering over to the living room window every few minutes. He was there when Carlisle and Bella arrived. In Carlisle's car, Edward noted, even though Bella's car was nowhere to be seen. This meant they were going back to Carlisle's place together.

They didn't get out of the car right away. From his vantage point, Edward could see they were turned toward each other. After a moment, they both leaned forward sharing a brief kiss.

Edward shuddered. It wasn't that it was disgusting. It was just weird. He hadn't been able to put his finger on why it felt wrong. Maybe it was that it felt like it should be wrong, even though Edward couldn't find a rational reason why.

"It's just unsettling," he mumbled to himself, rubbing the back of his neck. He watched Bella and Carlisle get out of the car. Carlisle extended his hand, and his smile was so gentle and adoring as Bella twined their fingers together. They were grinning at each other like goons with that look on their faces. The look of two people newly in love.

"I'm unsettled," Edward said as Benjamin came up behind him.

"Mmhmm." Benjamin kissed him. "You'll be fine."

 _ **~0~**_

And, for the most part, Edward was fine. It was awkward. Carlisle didn't bother to pretend he didn't like touching Bella. He was always touching her in some way, as though he couldn't get over the fact that he was allowed to now.

Yeah, that made two of them.

Bella, his best friend who had never been head over heels for anyone, was practically glowing. She was happy. So happy she couldn't contain her grin. Every time Carlisle touched her, she'd look over at him with this soft, radiant look on her face. It was sweet. He'd have been giddy for her if it wasn't also just a little bit weird.

"You have to be okay with this," Bella said when they were alone together for a few minutes. "I know he's your big brother, and maybe it's a little uncomfortable, but I need my bestie right now."

Edward reached out and took Bella's hands, squeezing them. "I love you so much, Bella. That's not going to change. You're my family too. Maybe that's why it feels weird. Like incest or something, but you can still tell me anything."

Her eyes shone. "It's just…" She sighed. "This thing with us? It's so intense. I don't even know how to explain it. I can't figure out how I didn't realize it was there for so long. Because this isn't just a crush, you know? This isn't just about…" She flushed, looking at him apologetically. "This isn't just about sex."

Edward flinched. He rolled his eyes but waved his hand in a go-on motion.

"But as much as I feel stupid for not figuring all this out sooner, I'm glad too. Most of the time, this whole couplehood thing starts just like with the other guys I've been with. That kind of attraction hits you like a wrecking ball, like a voice in your ear that shouts 'him' from across a crowded room. That perfect moment of meeting, attraction, and falling together."

Edward nodded. That was how it had been with Benjamin. He saw him on the field and something in him had just come alive like a beacon pinging.

Bella shook her head, her expression far away. "But this… There's something to be said about a connection that forms gradually like this. Like…" She glanced at him, obviously self-conscious. "Don't laugh at me, okay? This is going to sound grandiose and dramatic, but it's how I feel right now."

Edward smiled wryly. "Grandiose and dramatic are what you usually accuse me of being, so I guess you've earned a turn, hmm?"

Bella smiled and tucked herself under his arm, cuddling up to him with her head on his shoulder. "It's like the Grand Canyon. Like we've kind of been shaped for each other because we've known each other for so long. That's how it feels. Like I'm looking at something so beautiful and big."

"That is dramatic." Edward ran his fingers through her hair. "But I understand."

She raised her head to look at him. "You and Carlisle have been my rocks for the last four years. Even when I was with someone, it wasn't them I went to when I really needed something. It wasn't them who helped me pick up the pieces in every crisis of my life. Your brother has always been so good to me."

Edward rested his head against the back of the couch, a smile quirking at the corner of his lips. "And you guys are the same kind of dork. Get you started on your books and Christ, it's like I don't even exist."

She grinned and tilted her head. "Do you want to know how he is in bed?"

"Gah! No. Jesus." He rolled his eyes. "I'm already traumatized for life. Have you seen your face today? You have post-coital glow face."

"Well, that's because-"

"Bella!" Edward clamped a hand over her mouth.

 _ **~0~**_

At the end of the day, Edward only had one question for his brother. "I get it. I really do. You're good friends, to say the least, and that's not a bad place to start a relationship. It's not without complications, but whatever. That's every relationship."

Carlisle raised an eyebrow. "But?"

"No but. I'm just wondering how serious this is to you. I know it's serious." Edward shrugged. "I just need context, I guess."

Carlisle looked away, hesitating for a long moment before he turned back to look Edward in his eyes. "It's Esme-serious."

Edward's heart did a flip-flop in his chest. "Whoa."

"Yeah." Carlisle looked down at his feet, but there was a smile on his lips. "I fought it for a long time. I know it's not ideal…"

"No. It is. It really is." Edward hugged his big brother. "You're the best man I've ever known." He snorted stepping back. "I guess it's a good thing you're not actually my father."

"Why is that?"

"Because when you marry her, she'll be my sister. And that works. But if you'd made my best friend my stepmother, I would have needed therapy for life."

Carlisle threw his head back and laughed. Then he slung an arm around Edward's shoulder and pulled him in for another hug, giving him a noogie as he did so. Because, after all, he _was_ Edward's big brother.

* * *

 **A/N: Let's see if I can beg Mina to update for me.**

 **Mina:** Review begging HER for a spin off with Eddie and Benji.  
And no, Kris, Thoughtless doesn't count!


	10. Chapter 10

**A/N: Mina is a brat. As always, I need a PLOT to even think about writing something. Edward and Benjamin are just cuties.**

* * *

Heidi Delgado was an up-and-coming music artist who'd finally gotten her big break at the age of thirty-five, a rarity in the business. She'd come into fame quite suddenly and was in a unique position. She had more than a little negotiating power. The execs wanted her, but they were doing everything they could not to give her everything she deserved. The language of the contracts they were trying to push on her all but came right out and said her age made her less valuable. A week of intense and highly annoying back and forth, and they finally had paperwork everyone was happy with.

Had she asked, Carlisle would have gladly told her the best way to show her appreciation was to say thank you and get the hell out of his office. It wasn't that he wasn't gratified. He loved his job, and he loved this part best—knowing he'd made someone else's professional life a little easier and fairer. It was just that she'd decided to show her appreciation by coming over to his side of the desk and leaning up against it, tilting her head in that flirtatious way. And she wouldn't shut up.

He had rebuffed her advances, of course, and stood up from his desk to put distance between them. He'd tried to lead the conversation to a conclusion countless times. She wasn't budging.

To his immense relief, his intercom buzzed. To his immense delight, his assistant had fantastic news. "Mr. Cullen? There's a Bella Swan here to see you?"

"I'll come out to you, Alistair." Carlisle looked to Heidi, offering an apologetic smile he totally didn't mean. "Duty calls."

"Of course." Thankfully, Heidi followed him to the door without trouble. "I'm sure I'll need your help again soon," she said, walking too close to him.

Carlisle took a surreptitious step a few inches to the side so she couldn't brush up against him as she had been. "That's a certainty. Your career is on the rise. This contract should be renegotiated as your career develops."

He opened the door, all but forgetting about Heidi the instant he saw Bella standing by his assistant's desk. She smiled at him, and his answering smile was a little too big to be professional. He did his best to tamp it down, but gestured that Bella should come closer to him. She took a step toward him, but faltered as Heidi appeared behind him. Her eyes went wide with recognition.

Heidi, on the other hand, didn't seem to register that Bella even existed. Even as Carlisle put his back to the door, holding it open so she could leave, Heidi sidled up beside him. She put a hand on his arm and leaned in. "Thank you again for all your hard work on this, Carlisle. You don't know how much I appreciate this." She moved her fingers along his arm in an innocent yet suggestive way. "If there's anything I can do for you…"

Carlisle cringed and cleared his throat. He could practically feel Bella's eyes on them. He stepped to the side and reached behind him in a surreptitious motion, needing to touch her in some way. "It's my job," he said to Heidi.

Though he'd meant his gentle caress of Bella's hand to be out-of-sight and too small for Heidi to notice, he may have been too eager. Heidi's eyes darted to where his hand bent, touching the backs of Bella's knuckles. When she raised her head, her warm expression had turned ice cold. "Really?" she looked between him and Bella. "I'd have thought you were better than that."

Carlisle had to work to keep the grimace off his face. "I'm not sure what you—"

"Fine. We'll play that game, then." She glanced at Bella, and Carlisle hated the way she raked her eyes up and down her form as though appraising. "Let me tell you a secret about the music industry, sweetheart. Most of them are in it to get into the pants of barely legal teenage girls. The appeal is beyond me, but what do I know?" She shook her head. "Goodbye, Mr. Cullen. I'm sure we'll be in touch."

Carlisle released a slow breath as Heidi flounced away. That was going to be a fun complication to deal with. But, no matter. The moment she was out of sight, his priorities shifted to the woman standing just behind him. "Come in," he murmured, putting a hand to the small of her back to lead her through the door.

"I'm sorry," he said as soon as they were alone. "She's…"

"Jealous," Bella filled in for him when he couldn't find the right words. To his surprise, she didn't look upset. In fact, she was grinning. "That's not the right word. I should be jealous. She's envious." Her grin turned downright gleeful. "She wants you."

Bemused, Carlisle studied her. "And this makes you happy?" He relaxed infinitesimally, confused but beginning to see he wasn't in trouble. He cupped a hand at her waist, bringing her closer.

"Well, I'm not thrilled that she wants you, but it's not exactly a shock. Have you seen you?" Her eyes traveled down, making him shiver as she drank him in. "Have you seen you in this suit?" She smoothed her hand down his chest. "Have you seen this big, impressive office? This is sexy as hell, by the way. Seeing you here. And what kind of peacocking is this, hmm?" She pulled away from him, going to touch the shelves that displayed pictures of him with well-known people. She picked up a picture and snorted. "This is random and amazing. How did you end up in a sandwich between Santana and Pink?"

Carlisle smirked but only shrugged. Bella set down the picture and stepped back into the circle of his arms, wrapping hers around the back of his neck. "You're a stud, Carlisle." She tilted her head up invitingly. "If I can't deal with the fact a lot of people are going to want you, I have no business being with you. I'll just have to remember that you could have had Heidi Fucking Delgado, but you chose me." That gleeful grin returned. "Heidi Delgado is envious of me. She's brilliant and talented, not to mention drop dead gorgeous, but right now, she wishes she was in my shoes. I'm not going to lie. That did amazing things for my self-esteem."

He finally gave in to the invitation of her upturned face, brushing a kiss against her lips. "There's no contest." He kissed her again, lingering this time. "There never will be."

He walked backward a few steps, bringing her with him as he leaned up against his desk. He widened his legs a bit so when she stood between them, all of her small form was nestled up against him. There, he smoothed her hair back away from her face and kissed her again. "What she said… You're going to hear that kind of thing a lot. And you're going to see it. She's not wrong. It happens all the time. The men of this industry find increasingly younger girlfriends." He cupped her cheek, looking her in the eyes. "You're young and so beautiful, Bella. You would be a decoration to so many of the men in this industry. But not me. Never me."

They'd talked about this day. They'd been together for almost three weeks now, and though he'd invited her to his office many times, this was the first time she'd accepted. She was putting on a good show, talking the talk of the confidence she absolutely deserved to feel secure in, but it hadn't reached her eyes.

She sighed, wrapping her arms around him and holding tightly. "This place is fucking intimidating. It's swanky, your office is huge—"

"It's not that big." Not compared to some of the others who had been there longer.

"—and you meet so many crazy talented people. I mean, look." She gestured to the wall. "You have multiple degrees. More than one. I don't even have one."

He had to smile at her mini freak-out. "I know. You're impressive without a single degree, swanky office, or celebrities shaking your hand. Imagine what you'll be when you have all those things."

"Except the celebrities part."

"Ah, see. The next time I'm at one of these parties where these kinds of photos get taken, you're going to be right there with me." The idea gave him immense satisfaction. He'd always liked the idea of sharing his life with someone that way. Not as a trophy, as he knew many people would believe she was, but someone who would take pleasure in his accomplishments.

It had been a long time since someone he cared about was proud of him.

Carlisle pressed a kiss to the tip of her nose, smiling wider at her bewildered, wide-eyed expression. "Besides, if you do become a campaign manager—and I have every confidence you'll do everything you set out to do—then who knows? I bet you're going to add presidents to your wall. Foreign dignitaries." He waggled his eyebrows. "The Queen of England will think I'm nothing but your arm candy when we meet her."

Bella snorted. She straightened his tie, smoothing her hands along the expanse of his chest. "I suppose if you're the best I can do…"

Before he could snap back a retort, she kissed him. It was a hungry, heated kiss that caught him off guard in its intensity. He groaned against her mouth, pulling her tighter against him. She tangled her fingers in his hair.

"Have I mentioned how hot this is?" She rumbled the words against his lips. "Like the damn suit wasn't bad enough. Christ, you're...powerful." She spoke between kisses and nips, marking a trail up to his cheek. "Have you seen your desk chair? It's a damn throne." Her lips tickled his ear. "I want to ride you in that gigantic chair."

Lightning went down his spine, shooting straight through his dick. "Fuck, Bella."

"That's the idea." She pulled back slightly, wrapping his tie around and around her fist.

His cock knew the answer to that question, especially the way she was pressed up against him, her body rubbing him in all the right ways. His actual brain, though, struggled to think through the logistics. "Uh," he began eloquently.

Before he could remember if he had any appointments or if he'd told Alistair to hold all his calls, his office door burst open. Bella gave a startled yelp and pulled away from him.

"Well, well, well. Look what we have here," Emmett said in his too-loud voice.

Behind him, Alistair pressed up onto his tiptoes to be seen over his shoulder. "Sorry, Mr. Cullen. Mr. McCarty didn't exactly ask me if he could go in."

"Of course I didn't ask you. What would be the fun in that?" Emmett asked between chortles.

Though he was flushed just about as red as Bella, Carlisle also couldn't help but be amused. Emmett was obnoxious, but, well...he was Emmett. He finger-combed his hair, knowing exactly what he looked like.

Emmett turned his attention to Bella. "Sorry to interrupt your, er, important business meeting. I've been trying to get Carlisle to set up a double date so we could get to know the lovely lady who has our boy positively glowing these days."

Carlisle wiped a hand over his face. Emmett had yet to stop razzing him about the bounce in his step and the fact he hadn't really stopped smiling in the last three weeks. "Are you done?" he asked, crossing his arms over his chest and doing his best to glare.

"Yeah, right." He gestured over his shoulder with his chin. "Come on. Let's get lunch. Then you can tell me the story of how you crazy kids got together."

Carlisle glanced at Bella, raising a questioning eyebrow. Her cheeks were still bright red, her hair hectic—he guessed she hadn't been the only one doing the mauling—and there was an uncertain look in her eyes, but she gave him a quick nod. Brave girl.

"Okay, fine," Carlisle said, turning back to his friend and coworker. "Give us a minute."

"Only a minute? Because if you need to finish—"

"Emmett."

His friend flashed a faux-angelic smile. "I'll meet you in the parking garage in ten."

When he was gone, closing the door behind him, Carlisle slumped against his desk with his hands over his eyes. He had to fight the urge to giggle like a schoolboy.

"God, Carlisle, I'm so sorry."

The sound of her voice had him lifting his head, eyebrows raised. "Sorry? What for?"

"I shouldn't have attacked you like that." She pressed her palms to her overheated cheeks. "I just got… I wasn't thinking. I'm so sorry. I didn't mean to embarrass you. That was so unprofessional. In your office. What did I think, that this was a porno?"

Carlisle pressed his tongue against the roof of his mouth. If they were going to meet Emmett on time, she really needed not to mention porn. He'd confess to harboring the odd office fantasy. What he wouldn't give to see her spread out on his desk…

Shaking his head hard to dismiss that delightful image, Carlisle reached out. He took her hand and pulled her close to him. "Emmett is literally the only person who would have walked in like that. Alistair could have stopped anyone else." He traced the line of her chin, flashing an impish smile. "You think it isn't all kinds of hot that you want me like that?" He kissed her, a short but deep kiss. "You think I don't have a problem keeping my hands to myself all the damn time?"

She shivered, kissing him back, teasing his lips with her tongue. "So, you're saying I should come back to the office on a day Emmett is gone?"

He moaned into her mouth. "Bella…"

Minutes passed as he kissed her. Three weeks later, and he had yet to get over the fact he could have this. To have her in his arms, her lips moving with him. It had to be a dream. He was still waiting to wake up.

Bella broke their kiss with a sigh, though she didn't move away. He could feel her hot breath against his mouth. "We need to leave before he comes back in here."

Carlisle grumbled. "If we must."

She kissed his cheek and disentangled herself. "I want your friends to like me." The flash of uncertainty was back, and she wrung her hands. "I'm going to feel like a kid at the grown-ups' table," she muttered, mostly to herself.

He took her hand, stopping the frenetic movement, and kissed her knuckles. "First of all, if any of us is a child, it's Emmett. Secondly, don't worry. You're incredible, and if they don't get that, then they aren't worth a second thought."

With a soft, shy smile, she reached up and combed the fingers of her free hand through his hair. "I love you."

He didn't think he'd ever get tired of hearing that.

* * *

 **A/N: One more chappy, folks! Thanks for sticking with.**


	11. Chapter 11

**A/N: Here we go.**

* * *

Graduation was...interesting.

Bella's parents had been eighteen when she was born. Carlisle had been sixteen. Her mother's husband was three years younger than Carlisle.

Yeah. Awkward. Her mother was obviously attracted to her boyfriend. Renee was a harmless flirt, but still, ick. Her father, knowing full well Carlisle had been in her life for four years, was suspicious about what the hell a successful lawyer was doing hanging around with eighteen-year-old kids.

"You should have seen her." Benjamin whistled, relating the story to Alice and Jasper the day after graduation and their own private party. "She was all up in her father's face like a glorious, vengeful goddess, telling him off for trying to get in her business."

Bella snorted, sitting on the couch next to Carlisle and curling against his side as she handed him another beer. "I've been making my own decisions, romantically and otherwise, since I was a teenager. I should introduce him to James."

"Thank you, sweetheart." Carlisle kissed her forehead. "'At least he's not James' is a stunning endorsement. Just the ranking I was hoping for."

She slipped her fingertips under his shirt and tickled his tummy, grinning wickedly when he gasped. "Don't worry, baby. You're my favorite mistake."

He caught her wrist in one hand and set down the beer that was in the other. In a swift motion, he cupped the back of her head, holding her still as he kissed her. She squeaked, trying to draw away, but he wouldn't let her for a good ten seconds. When he did let go, she sputtered, sticking her tongue out and blowing a raspberry of distaste. He only smiled innocently at her.

"Beer kisses. Ew." She reached for her own drink and chugged, resulting in a tipsy, not-unpleasant rush of dizziness.

Edward groaned. "You two are going to cost me so much money in therapy bills."

"They are pretty disgusting," Alice said.

Bella arched an eyebrow. "This from the woman whose ass never touches a seat when her boyfriend is around."

Alice, sitting as usual on Jasper's lap, just smirked. "Don't be jealous just because I have the best seat in the house."

"What do you think?" On the other couch, Benjamin threw his legs over Edward's. "Should we give them a run for their money?"

Edward shoved his legs off him. "I think your ass is too heavy."

"Oooo." Benjamin got that wicked gleam in his eyes, and Bella wasn't even remotely surprised when he straddled Edward right there in front of everyone. He leaned down so they were nose to nose. "That wasn't what you said about my ass last night. You were all about what you were going to do to it...and then what you did to it-"

"Benjamin!" Edward had turned a deep puce at that point.

"Gah. Now who needs therapy?" Carlisle shook his head.

"If this is going to turn into the set of Guy on Guy volume four, I'm definitely going to need to break out the whiskey." Jasper stood up, tossing Alice over his shoulder in one swift movement, and heading toward the kitchen as she peppered smacks to his ass.

When Jasper and Alice came back with whiskey and shot glasses, Benjamin insisted on a toast. "I have something to say to you kids on the verge of adulthood from this old man with all his experience."

Edward rolled his eyes and gave his boyfriend's ear a playful tug. "Babe, you graduated last year."

"That's right. Which is one year more of real life experience than you fresh-faced graduates, now isn't it? You hush your mouth, _habeeby_ , and mind your elders."

"Yes, sir."

Carlisle scoffed. "Yes, sir? Where was all this minding your elders business when you were a teenaged little snot?"

Edward shot his brother a mock-offended look. "I have no idea what you're talking about. I was a treasure and joy."

"Oh, sure," Carlisle said.

"Well, now you're my treasure, but if you won't shut the hell up, I might take you out to a remote island and bury you," Benjamin said, fixing Edward with a beady-eyed stare.

Edward swept his hand out wide. "Go on."

"Ahem." Benjamin straightened up, holding the whiskey shot aloft. "So this is to you. To the things you'll do, and the people you'll be. To the mistakes you'll make and the bridges you'll burn. To all the jobs, weddings, babies, and even the crushed dreams ahead of you. Today is the first day of the rest of your life, and it's going to be a good life."

They all gave a general sort of cheer as they clinked glasses and shot them together. There was that dizzy rush again, and Bella, laughing at the giddiness that rose in her, fell against Carlisle's side. He wrapped an arm around her shoulder, pulling her closer.

"So, if Benjamin is old and wise, what does that make you?" she asked, splaying a hand across his chest and looking up at him.

A small, gentle smile played at his lips, and he traced the shape of her face with the pad of a single finger. "I don't know that I'm wise. Just lucky."

Before Bella could speak to that, Alice cackled. "Lucky my ass. You're just drunk right now, and you don't want to let on."

"Pfft. I can hold my liquor, little girl," Carlisle said, rising, as always to Alice's amusement, to the bait she threw out.

"That sounds like a challenge." Alice poured two shots, handing one to Carlisle.

He looked her over. "Alice, I'm not saying you can't hold your liquor. I'm just saying, scientifically speaking, it has nowhere to go…"

This boded well for their collective future. Looking around the room at her awesome friends and her amazing boyfriend, Bella knew life was going to be so, so good.

 _ **~Carlisle~**_

Carlisle opened the door to the suite quietly and let his eyes sweep the space. When he spotted her, he stopped short, overwhelmed by the vision she presented, standing as she was at the window, looking out. He'd been struck by her beauty and poise all night,but now she was the picture of elegance. Her hair was swept into an updo. She was still in her dress from the party. He liked the dress. A lot. It exposed the long line of her back. All of this against the backdrop of Paris's Eiffel Tower and the brilliant Vegas strip stretching out below them.

He moved forward with a soft step, entertaining the thought of pulling the tie-string at the back of her neck so he could watch the gown melt off her. There was thrill in that thought-to press her up against the glass, drag his teeth along her neck and fuck her hard and deep as they watched the busy, glittering world below.

A shiver of electricity went down the middle of his spine, and his cock stirred. He pressed his tongue to the roof of his mouth. Not yet. He couldn't go there yet. Not when he had things to say.

When he reached her, he wrapped his arms around her waist and nuzzled her neck. She sighed, a sound so content it sent warmth and happiness through him, and tilted her head against his. "The call go all right?" she asked.

"Mmhmm. Crisis averted."

She put her hands over his against her waist. "Good. So, tell me the truth. Did I make a fool of myself tonight?"

He snorted. "You're ridiculous." He kissed her cheek and the corner of her mouth. "You were brilliant tonight. Eloquent and charming. You held your own, Bella, and there wasn't an agent or exec in there that doesn't lament that you aren't looking for a contract."

Her answering laugh was breathy. "You've heard me sing. No one should have to listen to that."

"Many of those people represented actors."

"Mmm. Yeah, hard pass."

He'd had a few drinks. He blamed them for the way the word hard had his mind sliding headlong for the gutter. Desire was getting the better of him. It often did when he was wrapped around her like this, her body tucked against him and her scent surrounding him. Seeing her there in his world had done things to him.

But, he did get ahead of himself. Giving her one last kiss and a squeeze, he let her go. He retreated to the couch, spreading his arms wide across the back, his eyes on her as she turned around. She was smiling, relaxed and lovely as always. "I felt like a little girl playing dress up," she said, tilting her head as she took off her earrings.

"Believe me, Bella, that's not how you looked." He let his eyes sweep over her again. "Don't get me wrong. You're lovely and perfect in jeans and t-shirt, but you wear the hell out of a slinky dress. You looked good."

And they had looked good together. He was unbearably proud to have a young woman as brilliant and beautiful as Bella on his arm. He was proud of her. She'd been terrified to come to this thing tonight, this party, but she'd met it like she met every challenge-head on with her shoulders set straight.

Bella picked at whatever was holding her hair up, and it came cascading down. His heart gave a little double tap against his chest. She had no idea the power she had. Had she cared to, she could have been the world's most dangerous temptress, working these industry bozos with ease. She was going to be a success in anything she did.

As for her feminine wiles, well... Those she only used on him. Like now, as she stepped toward him with bedroom eyes and a that half-cocked grin playing at her lips. She reached behind her, and again, he had a vision of that dress sliding off her.

"Wait," he said, holding his hand out. He chuckled wryly. "I have something to tell you, and I really need you to be dressed."

She quirked an eyebrow, looking bemused and curious as she closed the distance between them. She took his hand, letting him pull her down beside him on the room's large and comfortable sofa. She perched on the edge, her body twisted to look at him, and he sat up.

Taking her hands, he drew them to his mouth and kissed her knuckles, his heartbeat too rapid for a few moments to speak. She waited as he took a deep breath. "I wanted to tell you a story. No one else knows this but Edward. You're the two most important people in my life, Bella. My little brother and you. You know that."

"I know." Her voice was soft and tender. She squeezed her fingers around his, urging him to continue.

He took another deep breath. "After you graduated, I told you I've never been wise; just lucky. You know a little of how I grew up."

Her eyes grew sad and she nodded. He'd had little in the way of self-worth in those early days of his life. His father had seen to that.

"When I was in high school, there was a girl named Esme." His throat closed around her name. It always did. He watched Bella's face carefully. Her eyes still held only empathy and curiosity. Some women couldn't stand to hear the names of other women from their lover's lips, but this was something she needed to understand about him. He knew her well enough to believe she'd understand why it was important to him.

"Esme believed a lot of things about my future that I didn't. I thought I was destined to live a worthless existence. It's something I simply believed about myself at the time. I couldn't save my mother. I couldn't save my new baby brother." He swallowed hard, remembering the frustration and anger he'd carried like a second skin at the time.

"When I didn't apply for college, Esme filled out the application for me. She went snooping to my teachers and my next door neighbor-I used to do some work for him-and got my recommendation letters." He shook his head at the memory. "She handed me my future."

He sighed, remembering, and hoping he had the right words to explain all this. "I was very much in love with her."

Bella's eyes were cautious now as she watched him. He saw her throat move as she swallowed hard. "She saw you," she said.

He nodded. "She did. And for all the chaos in her life, I saw her too." He took a deep, shuddering breath, old pain sparking fresh in him. "I wanted everything with her. I wanted her to be with me as I took this life she'd given me."

"But?" Bella prompted when he didn't immediately go on.

He sighed. "But, I never told her. Not a single word. I just...I couldn't imagine I deserved to be that happy. To have someone as brilliant and vibrant as she was. Her smile. She had a smile that lit up the darkest room."

They were both silent a beat as he collected his thought. "Toward the end of Freshman year, there was a man. Charles. She…" He shook his head, anger making his throat go tight. "She had her own issues, and the role Charles played in her life, I'm not sure I'll ever understand. She wasn't in love with him. He was controlling. Possessive. And the more she saw of him, the less she saw of me."

"Oh, hell."

He nodded. Hell was exactly the word. "To make a long story very short. She got pregnant that summer between freshman and sophomore year. So, while I got to go on with school, began to put together this life I have, she dropped out." He clenched his jaw. "Her smile faded. The light in her eyes went out. Two months after their son was born, Charles killed all three of them."

Bella's hands shot to her mouth. "Oh, no. Oh, God. Carlisle, I'm sorry." She reached out, touching his face with such tenderness, his heart ached. "I'm so sorry."

Despite the clench of his heart, he had the urge to smile. She was an incredible woman, sitting here, hurting for him because he'd lost the woman he loved so many years ago. A woman who, had she lived and had he had her the way he wanted, he and Bella would never have had a chance.

Life would never not be strange and somewhat bitter in its sweetness.

He smoothed Bella's hair back, letting what he felt for this incredible woman wash through him, soothing the ache of old, old wounds. "When she died, for a little while, I thought I was going to die too. There was nothing I could do to bring her back, and that was something I couldn't deal with. That and the what-ifs. Could I have helped her? Would loving her have been enough? I have no idea. I'll never know.

"But what I decided then was that I still had this gift. I still had this beginning of a life she'd given me. I still had the ability to decide what I could do with what I was given. So, I got to work. Got to planning. I put together a life I could be proud of; that she would be proud of me. When it was clear I couldn't save my mother, I saved my little brother."

"You're a good man, Carlisle." Bella's eyes shown with emotion. Her tears, he knew, were for him. "She'd have been proud of you. I know I am."

He ducked his head, wondering if she could possibly grasp what those words meant to him. It was a sentiment he'd rarely heard in his life, and never from someone as important to him, as vital, as she was.

"I'm telling you this because in all that time, I have never loved another woman with anything approaching the depth of feeling I had for Esme." He took her hand and pressed it to his heart as he looked up again. "Not until you."

Keeping her hand in his, he raised his free hand to stroke his knuckles across her cheek. "I don't want you to think that there's any comparison. I don't look at you and wish Esme were still here with me. The boy who loved her is so far removed from the person I am now. I just mean that she was profound to me. I'm giving you this story because it's the very last piece of me.

"A long time after Esme died, when I let myself believe I could love again, I promised I wouldn't make the same mistake twice." He laughed and shook his head as he looked at her. "Then, of course, I went and fell for the one person I had no business seeing like that. And, of course, for the second time in my life, I didn't say a damn word about the way I felt."

She gave a breathless laugh, smiling at him with shining eyes. "Yeah, that was silly of you. Not like she was an adult who could have made up her own mind."

He hummed. It was more complicated than that and they both knew it, but it was, tonight, beside the point. "Well, luckily for me, also for the second time in my life, a woman I love more than I have words for came to me and changed everything, handed me a beautiful life on a golden platter. You're so much braver than I've ever been, Bella. You say often that I can be intimidating. My love, I don't hold a candle to you."

Taking a steadying breath, he slid off the couch then, onto one knee. Her eyes went wide, and she gasped out a little, "Oh."

"I love you," he said, looking into her eyes. "Truly. Deeply. Irrevocably." He took her hand, pulling it to him and pressing a small box into it. He closed her fingers around it. "You have all of me, Bella. I'm yours." He couldn't help but smile at the open-mouthed expression on her face. "You know what I want. You know what this is." He squeezed her hand and the box she held. "You don't have to open it now. It's yours whenever you're ready. Believe me, baby. I'll wait."

He had no idea what he was expecting. What he wasn't expecting was the way she launched herself off the couch into his arms. She knocked them both backward, so he had to catch himself with one elbow on the floor. He huffed out an "Oof" but that was about all the breath he got before she was attacking him with kisses.

"No more waiting," she said between kisses. "I'm done with waiting." She wrapped her arms around his neck as he managed to get them both upright, propped against the couch. "Yes." She kissed him. "Yes." And again. "Yes." She kissed him long and deep.

And broke the kiss with a gasp. "Ooh, we're in Vegas. We can do it now."

He stared at her, incredulous, and laughed. "I...really?"

Her look softened. She took his face in her hands and kissed him sweetly. "I told you. I'm done waiting." She kissed him once more. "Okay?"

Again, he laughed. "Okay."

They got to their feet, both grinning wildly and giggling like little children. They were disheveled and rumpled and Edward was going to kill them when they got home. But, it didn't matter.

Holding hands, they exited the suite and headed out into the Vegas night. Because when they were both finally on the same page, there was no reason at all to wait.

 _ **~The End~**_

 **A/N: Thank you to Mina, Packy, MoH, Eleanor, and Betsy for her never-ending patience with fics she would never read of her own volition. Lol.**

 **Thank you out there. Your kind words of love and encouragement mean so much to me. Thanks for coming along on another tale.**


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